HM COASTGUARD’S search and rescue helicopter service has suspended landings at most of Scotland’s hospital helipads – including Dumfries.
The action has been taken in response to the death of a woman in England two years ago after she was blown over and fatally injured.
Bristow – which operates HM Coastguard’s helicopter search and rescue service – said its UK-wide move will impact 23 Scottish sites including Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dumfries, Dundee and Glasgow.
Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary saw five landings between May 2022 and May 2024.
The Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) has recommended that hospitals increase their ‘safe zones’ for large helicopters to protect bystanders from ‘downwash’ – when rotors produce a rapid change in air direction.
NHS National Services Scotland has distributed a safety notice on the changes. In response to the announcement, a spokesperson for Dumfries and Galloway Health and Social Care Partnership said: “We are currently engaged in discussions with coastguard service operator Bristow around new requirements which they have established for use of hospital helipads.
“These new requirements will not affect smaller aircraft, and Bristow will have contingency arrangements in place for any larger aircraft.
“These new requirements from Bristow do not affect existing arrangements for aircraft employed by the Scottish Ambulance Service.”
South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth has called for urgent action following the news.
He said: “This is very worrying. As a rural, coastal area, a helicopter search and rescue service is hugely important to our region.
“Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary is one of the busiest affected sites in Scotland so it’s an extremely concerning development.
“Dumfries and Galloway Health and Social Care Partnership say it is in discussions about the new requirements but I am calling for urgent action on this matter.
“It is not too much to say that lives may depend on it.”
