I strongly believe in the vital role and impact of the charity sector in our communities. Over the last eighteen months the true determination, passion, resilience, adaptability and people-centred approach that is inherent in philanthropic activity has been abundantly clear.
I am also a strong advocate for the power of collaboration. When charities and like-minded organisations come together for the greater good, to share learning, to maximise resources and outcomes, they massively increase the impact they have on our communities.
Alongside my position as CEO of Air Ambulance Kent Surrey Sussex (KSS), I am privileged to be a Trustee for Air Ambulances UK (AAUK), the organisation which champions, supports and represents the 21 Air Ambulance charities across the UK.
The potential for AAUK to harness the power, expertise, passion and purpose-driven approach of everyone in the sector is huge, and the associated impact on patients and their families across the UK facing medical emergency is what drives us all.
In the last 18 months, AAUK has supported the sector to come together like never before, to share challenges, learning and best practice and to synergise the expertise of our world-leading staff to inform our strategy for ensuring service continuity and keep our staff and patients safe throughout the immense challenges posed by COVID-19.
Collaboration and a desire to continue to serve our communities has never been more important, and never been stronger in the Air Ambulance sector.
There is also huge opportunity to help to raise the profile of our sector, of the critical role we play in the chain of emergency care and the vital service we provide as well as the special relationship we have with our communities – that we are funded almost entirely by public support, and that we can be there for our patients only because our communities support us to do so.
Each year AAUK organises Air Ambulance Week (6th – 12th September), which is dedicated to raising awareness of the life-saving critical care provided by Air Ambulance charities which, on average, perform over 80 critical missions every day across the UK. It is a celebration of our sector and an example of what can be achieved when those with a shared purpose to save lives and ensure the best possible outcomes join forces.
At KSS, collaboration is a value which we live by, which we embrace in order to maximise the impact and reach of our life-saving work. Our multi-disciplinary team work in effective collaboration, driven by our purpose and our goal of aspiring for excellence in all we do to ensure the very best possible outcomes for our patients and communities.
Collaboration is also central to our vision – we strive towards an end to preventable loss of life from medical emergency which can only be achieved if we think differently and work together to find new solutions and continue to generate and inspire support for our cause.
We rely on support, generosity and collaboration from our communities. Last year, the theme of Air Ambulance Week was `Because Every Second Counts’. This year we are building on that by adding `and Every Penny Matters’. The support of our communities is as critical as the care we provide.
On behalf of every patient we care for, we offer our heartfelt thanks and gratitude to those who support our cause.
Please support Air Ambulance Week and help Air Ambulance charities across the UK to continue to save lives and ensure the best possible patient outcomes.
#CaringTheKSSWay
