Air ambulance grounded after drugs licence mix-up

The helicopter, which is operated by a charity, offers rapid-response lifesaving treatment

An air ambulance has been grounded after an "administrative oversight" left it unable to carry controlled drugs.

Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance (LNAA) has been temporarily stood down after the charity failed to meet its deadline for a drugs licence renewal.

East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS), which deploys the helicopter, told its staff on Friday the aircraft had been stood down, stating it had "identified a higher risk to patient safety...without supply of these specialist medications".

Dr Adam Chester, LNAA's deputy medical director, said: "We are in discussions with EMAS at the highest level to find a resolution."

Dr Chester added: "We are working closely with the Home Office on the controlled drugs licence. We implemented alternative arrangements to mitigate this situation."

On Friday, an internal EMAS communication, seen by the BBC, stated air ambulance medics were "unable to store or supply controlled drugs".

EMAS said an internal review, taking into account national clinical advice and best practice, had identified a higher risk to patients without supply of these specialist medications.

Bosses said this was because they "cannot currently provide key elements of critical care or pre-hospital emergency anaesthesia effectively to our patients".

As a result, EMAS bosses said they had decided to "stand down dispatch of LNAA resources at this time".

The Home Office has confirmed to the BBC that it had now received the necessary paperwork.

The air ambulance, which relies on public donations, can be called out 24 hours a day, often responding to life or death emergencies.

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