Helipad to be moved ahead of new hospital build

The new helipad at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn is expected to be operational by summer 2024

A hospital helipad is to be temporarily moved to farmland as work on a new hospital begins.

The move will allow emergency crews to transfer airlifted patients safely to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) in King's Lynn.

The QEH was one of five hospitals in the East added to the government's New Hospital Programme list at the end of May.

Paul Brooks, director of estates and facilities, said the work was "a real milestone in our journey towards bringing a state-of-the-art hospital to King’s Lynn."

The helipad location at the QEH will be moved east onto farmland on the opposite side of the road by the B1145

The helipad will be temporarily moved in January to allow work on the new hospital - as well as construction of a multi-storey car park.

A new helipad at the hospital is expected to be operational by next summer, a hospital spokesperson said.

In October, the Borough Council of King's Lynn and West Norfolk approved the Trust's planning application to relocate the "essential" facility.

Mr Brooks added: "This is a vital resource for our hospital and this relocation to a nearby site will allow us to progress plans whilst still ensuring patient safety and quality of care."

Richard Hindson, director of operations and infrastructure at the East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) said the helipad was of "huge importance".

"It enables EAAA crews to transfer critically ill and injured patients to the hospital for further treatment," he said.

He added that the service was working towards the development of a "strategic helipad infrastructure in the region".

"The new helipad at QEH supports that vision, and EAAA expects to use the new helipad around 100 times every year," he said.