This week marks the first anniversary of the opening of the helipad at Plymouth’s Derriford Hospital.

Previously Derriford Hospital did not have a recognised helipad and instead had a small grassed-over area next to the Emergency Department.

The helipad was funded by the County Air Ambulance HELP (Helicopter Emergency Landing Pads) Appeal, which has contributed £850,000 alongside £900,000 capital funding from the hospital Trust.

In its first year, there have been more than 280 air ambulance and search and rescue helicopter landings, including patients who have been involved in vehicle incidents or sustained falls, many of them by the Cornwall Air Ambulance.

More information on the HELP Appeal can be found at http://www.helpappeal.com