Magpas Air Ambulance experienced its busiest year in four years in 2022, with the charity responding to 1,335 emergencies across 11 counties in and around the East of England.

Just under 50 per cent of all the emergencies responded to by the Magpas team were in Cambridgeshire, with 648 incidents responded to in the county in total.

Following the same patterns as recent years, life-threatening medical emergencies such as cardiac arrests remained the number one reason for activation, followed by patients injured in road traffic collisions—accounting for 65 per cent of the service's emergency call-outs combined. 

Natalie Church, Magpas Air Ambulance Director of Operations, said: "Our doctors and paramedics have had an extremely busy year. With activations increasing by 6%, they have done everything possible to continue delivering lifesaving pre-hospital care to patients, wherever they are.

"It's important to remember that behind the data, every statistic and figure is a person whose life is on the line, and it's the incredible Magpas Air Ambulance medical team who make crucial differences for those patients every day." 

The Hunts Post: Magpa continued to see more men than women in 2022, with 73 per cent of patients treated being male, and 10 per cent of patients were children. Magpa continued to see more men than women in 2022, with 73 per cent of patients treated being male, and 10 per cent of patients were children. (Image: Digital Photography/Rob Holding)

Over the festive period between December 24 2022, and January 2 2023, the Magpas team responded to 46 life-threatening emergencies, treating patients aged between six months to 80 years old.

The highest number of calls received was on New Year's Eve and across the festive period, patients most frequently suffered from cardiac or respiratory arrest.

The Cambridegshire-based charity provides its lifesaving service 24/7, 365 days a year, with more than 460 activations occurring during the night shift (7pm-7am) with crews working around the clock to keep communities safe.

Each of the charity's clinicians is trained to provide advanced medical care at the scene of a patient's incident, helping to save lives and reduce recovery times whilst assisting the ambulance service.

Air Ambulance Director of Fundraising and Marketing Lucy Chapman added: "As a charity, Magpas Air Ambulance can only continue to save lives and keep families together 24/7 thanks to donations from the people and communities we serve. 

"There are so many ways you can help keep Magpas Air Ambulance continue flying this year—from taking on one of our exciting challenges, such as our Mission: Obstacle Dash or skydiving, to volunteering with us in the office or out and about at events; or playing our winter Superdraw, which is a great way to help our team save lives while being in with a chance of winning £5,000." 

To support or learn more about the air ambulance charity, visit magpas.org.uk.