The Devon Air Ambulance helicopter caused a stir in Sidmouth when it landed at Long Park yesterday morning (Wednesday, April 28).

The ambulance had flown to the aid of an elderly man who had fallen from a ladder and was unconscious. Paramedics treated him at the scene but he didn't need to be airlifted to hospital, so he was taken by land ambulance for further observation and treatment.

Incidents like this are common for Devon Air Ambulance, and the charity is keen to correct the misconception that if a patient isn't flown to hospital, the helicopter paramedics 'were not really needed'. Often the key factor is that the ambulance can get to a casualty very quickly and the paramedics can give vital on-the-spot treatment, before deciding on the best option for the patient in terms of onward travel to the next stage of their care.

This is explained by the air ambulance's Operations Director Nigel Hare in a blog on the DAAT website. He says: "For long distances to specialist treatment centres, the speed of the helicopter may appear the obvious choice of transport. However, sometimes, despite the sophisticated care we can deliver, and flying at around 150-160 miles per hour, the patient's condition may be such that they might not survive the journey to hospital.

"In these circumstances our clinical team will consider whether opting to convey the patient to the closest hospital instead, perhaps for immediate life-saving surgical intervention, prior to them being transferred to the specialist treatment centre, is the best option for the patient.

"On occasions, to enable the effective delivery of care, we need to be able to access multiple areas of the patient at the same time. This is more challenging in our EC135 helicopters and is one of the main reasons, with your help, we have been able to invest in a larger H145 helicopter which provides greater access to the patient in flight.

"As we develop the ability to deliver a greater level of the care that is otherwise only available inside a hospital, we are being called to treat more and more patients in towns and cities, even though the patient may be located only a short distance away from the local hospital. For when minutes matter, our care might be what keeps the patient alive long enough to reach a hospital that is even a short journey time away."

For more information about Devon Air Ambulance, visit their website.