Apparently the Yorkshire Air Ambulance is due for an update as it's so old. They need a new chopper but need to raise about £2.5million to get one. I still wonder why we rely on general public to try to pay for such important things, it is run on donations just like the Life Boats are. Surely the government ought to include these necessary life saving things amongst their budget, instead of spending so much on things like housing all the non working immigrants, and excessively high wages for themselves.

The police get new helicopters quite regularly (although they are sometimes second hand). Do people think the ambulance is an equally worth cause?

I know that they're used every day - the Radio 2 traffic reports regularly tell of an air ambulance landing on the motorway to pick up critically injured.

i think that the ambulance should be government funded as should rnli etc
if we can afford to be a generous country to immigrants and aid to poorer countries then we should first make sure we have what we need for ourselves
and before anyone says im racist
the ambulance and other emergency services are available to all including the genuine immigrants of this country i happen to know a few who work really hard and pay tax etc so they should be entitled to these services and as such they would benefit everyone:thumbsup:

I think the ambulance service should decide upon what is best to spend its money. If the air ambulance doesn't justify the funds it shouldn't get any.
I understand that the helicoper may well have saved lives that would have been lost if there wasn't a helicopter, but think of this-
How many lives could be saved by spending £2,500,000 on other health care priorities instead of buying an helicopter.
A helicopter will do almost nothing. Two and a half million pounds will do a lot if spent elsewhere.

Or is it a cunning plan. Perhaps the helicopter is value for money and the public can be pursuaded to cough up some emotion tax to pay for it, but they wouldn't be too happy having thier taxes raised to find the money to pay for it the propper way (through taxation).

Whatever the case, if it's needed it should be funded by taxes.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by mrchinnery
[B]I think the ambulance service should decide upon what is best to spend its money. If the air ambulance doesn't justify the funds it shouldn't get any.


Hope you don't find yourself in a road accident where your life depends upon immediate surgery.

I agree the ambulance should be funded but it isnt, so the people it serves needs to help.

is it worthwhile? Well just before xmas i sat on the M1 for 2 hours whilst a bad accident was cleared. The ambulance couldnt get to the accident for all the traffic, but the helicopter did. Unless youve ever needed I guess you dont know how good it is

The same lack of funding applies to macmillan nurses, hospices etc. So dig deep!

http://www.yorkshireairambulance.org.uk/

I agree that the Air Ambulance should receive public funding as an element of the exisiting emergency service network.

I am however a little more sceptical about the RNLI. The RNLI is an excellent institution, and I would love to see it receive public funds. However. the moment that the RNLI receives government funding, it would surely become engulfed in government meddling, red tape and "targets".

I would rather see the RNLI not receive public funds and be autonomous and provide the excellent service they do without govt' middle managers stepping in having given funds and then being able to pull all the strings.

Essentially there is only one 'pot' of money to pay for things like the NHS etc n there is a limit to what that money will buy.

If we want the very best medical treatment and equipment that money can buy then we have to pay for it. That's where there is the tension - I don't know anyone who says - I love paying tax - I love the fact that the more I earn the more tax I pay - do you? No - no-one wants to pay but everyone wants to take.

I for one think the air ambulance is a fantastic addition to the services provided locally. It can reach places difficult for ambulances and so much quicker too. It really does make the difference between life and death. I hope I never need to use it's services, but if I do then I would like to know it is available and that I have contributed. So instead of moaning, why not think positively about how we can best raise money for a service we all hope will be there if we ever need it.