CELEBRATIONS have been held to thank those who have played a vital role over the last 10 years, delivering pre-hospital emergency blood transfusions for Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance (DSAA).

A special event was held at the Henstridge airbase and brought together key partners, the clinicians who helped pioneer the initiative, and team members involved in its delivery and development to reflect its impact over the past decade.

Among those in attendance at the special 10th anniversary event was Louise Biggs and her family, whose first-hand experience of needing a pre-hospital blood transfusion immediately prior to giving birth in January was shared.

When DSAA, which has headquarters in Wellington, introduced the carriage of blood components in 2016, it represented a major step forward in pre-hospital critical care.

Severe bleeding is one of the most urgent and life-threatening challenges following major trauma or acute medical conditions. When minutes matter, starting a transfusion at the scene can be the difference between a patient reaching hospital with a chance of survival or not reaching hospital at all.

Developed in collaboration with Dorset County Hospital, NHS Blood and Transplant, Devon Freewheelers, the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust and the Henry Surtees Foundation, the initiative enabled doctors and specialist practitioners to begin replacing lost blood at the roadside, in rural locations and in patients’ homes well before they arrived at hospital.

Ten years on, 473 patients have been given a chance of survival through a blood transfusion provided by the DSAA team.

Speaking about the milestone, Dr Phil Hyde, DSAA’s medical director said: “To have this life-saving resource available to us is a gift from society.

“We are so grateful to every member of this regional collaboration for enabling life chances for the people of Dorset and Somerset.”