Channel Islands air ambulance to save £245,000

The service will be run from Jersey and Exeter

A contract for a Channel Islands air ambulance should save £245,000 a year.

The service to fly critically ill patients to the UK from Guernsey and Jersey will be provided by Capital Air Charter.

The move is expected to save Guernsey States £200,000 and Jersey States £45,000 annually, with the governments paying £500,000 and £1m respectively.

Capital already has a plane based in Jersey and will run its Guernsey operation out of Exeter.

There will also be a plane for both islands to use, based in Exeter, as well as a further aircraft which can be brought in if needed.

Under the joint contract, each island will have a separate service level agreement with Capital, which acknowledges the differences of the health systems between the two.

Deputy Anne Pryke, Jersey's Health and Social Services Minister, said: "We are very pleased to be able to offer joint working with Guernsey, which is often talked about, and something we aspire to.

"Our two health systems are very different, but this does not mean we can't have a joined-up, professional approach to an essential service."

In 2012, Guernsey transferred 174 patients while Jersey carried out a total of 346 emergency air transfers to the UK.

There is no change to medical evacuation from Alderney to Guernsey, which will continue to be operated by Aurigny on behalf of the States of Alderney.