What a fantastic photo we’ve received from the PICU Retrieval Team of some new, much needed, flight equipment the Charity recently funded, costing just over £28,000!
When Friends of PICU received their request to fund a new Monitor, Defibrillator and Trolley, we knew just how important this equipment would be to the team. The specialist PICU Retrieval Team retrieve children from 27 hospitals across the South of England, the Isle of Wight and the Channel Islands using the PICU retrieval ambulances funded by the Charity. For long distance transfers the team travel by air ambulance or fixed wing aircraft, and these flight transfers require a specific trolley. This new flight equipment will speed up their ability to dispatch the team and will assist in a much smoother transfer process.
One piece of this equipment, the Trolley, was funded thanks to the support of Martin, Club Captain and Margaret, Ladies Captain, who both chose Friends of PICU as their Charity of the Year during their Captain’s Year at Corhampton Golf Club in 2023. We were delighted to welcome them recently to PICU to see the equipment and hear first-hand the important part it plays in the retrieval of children.
Jamie, Critical Care Technologist, shared with us “A massive thanks to Friends of PICU for providing us with our new flight equipment. Previously we would have to spend around 45 minutes setting up the equipment and transferring it between different trolleys. however we can now keep most of it set up and ready to go at all times reducing the time it takes us to leave when we need to retrieve a sick child via either helicopter or plane. As well as reducing the amount of time needed, it has also stopped us having to transfer heavy equipment and minimising moving and handling for our team”.
As soon as the equipment arrived, it was set up and taken out on retrieval to the Channel Islands. We are delighted to have supported the PICU Retrieval Team with the funding for these 3 pieces of equipment, which has only been possible thanks to the support we receive.
