accident - sainsbury dog kennel hill. avoid

[Saila]

Looks like there's been an accident at the junction. Bad traffic going up the hill.

Hopefully not serious.

[SteveUK1978]

It looked very serious - a man had been knocked off a motorbike and was in the road. The air ambulance landed in the park close to Sainsbury's. Hopefully he's ok as the medics arrived very quickly it seemed.

[simonethebeaver]

I hope he's OK.

Can anyone who knows about these things explain why it was an air ambulance when the accident was so close to Kings? I thought air ambulances were used either for speed or for inaccessible areas, and neither seems to apply. No agenda to this question, just puzzled.

[uncleglen]

Never thought of that but you are correct, especially since King's is the major trauma centre for the South East region of London. There was one there 3 or 4 weeks ago as well when someone was on the train line. Also, you would think that being hoisted into a helicopter and taking off would be more traumatic to the patient than using an ambulance.

[Vik]

Just a guess but could it be that all the ambulances were on call so a helicopter could be there quicker?

I work at Kings and while sometimes there are ambulances filling the bays and street outside A&E, other times there are none.

[SteveUK1978]

There was a 'regular' ambulance there as well - it arrived about 5 mins before the helicopter.

[dimples]

Doesn't royal London deal with head trauma though ? Any news ?

[polla2256]

Poor guy. That part of road can be dangerous at times on a bike, hope he had his gear on.

[youandiaredominoes]

I think it was a cyclist

Edit 3.38pm - sorry my comment related to a separate incident on the bend on champion park. A cyclist was knocked off his bike.

[Marmora Man]

uncleglen Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Never thought of that but you are correct,

> especially since King's is the major trauma centre

> for the South East region of London. There was one

> there 3 or 4 weeks ago as well when someone was on

> the train line. Also, you would think that being

> hoisted into a helicopter and taking off would be

> more traumatic to the patient than using an

> ambulance.

The air ambulance often has a trauma doctor onboard as well as highly trained / qualified paramedics. It may therefore be best to bring the doc to the patient to stabilise him before moving to A&E by road.

[GinaG3]

London air ambulances are also now equipped to carry blood - rapid response cars carry when helicopters cannot fly. He may of needed a blood transfusion before being moved, or seen by a special trauma doctor onboard the air ambulance, or been transferred to somewhere more specialist than Kings in a particular area. Many reasons for air ambulance.

Hope the rider is okay.

[Countrlass22]

also any suspicion spinal injury air ambulance used as by road around kings very bumpy with all speed humps,known from personal experience.my thoughts with injured man and his family kings is excellent.

[Grotty]

However, Kings has no helipad so all air ambulances have to land in nearby Ruskin Park where they are met by a road ambulance which then drives the patient round to A&E, so its unlikely this air ambulance was there to speed things up or avoid bumps. More likely to bring doctor/trauma team/urgent care to the patient.