Babcock and North West Air Ambulance Charity (NWAA) have agreed a contract that will see Babcock continue as exclusive aviation partner for at least the next seven years. The contract was awarded following a competitive procurement process, supported by special missions advisory Aeroptimo. Babcock will provide NWAA with aviation support including advanced helicopters equipped with hospital-grade medical technology, ground support, engineering and pilots.

Options for an additional three years would see Babcock continue as NWAA's sole aviation partner to 2031.

The charity, which receives no government or NHS funding, has been flying life-saving missions across the North West of England, bringing the hospital to the patient since 1999 and has partnered with Babcock since 2000. Today Babcock operates three specialist EC135 helicopters on behalf of the charity, each capable of reaching the scene of most incidents in the north west within just 25 minutes.

The partnership with Babcock, which started 22 years ago, will help the air ambulance charity to continue to grow and develop.

Babcock Onshore director Hayley Belmore says: “We are enormously proud that our enduring partnership with NWAA is set to continue. We understand the need to keep this life-saving service delivering to ever higher standards and NWAA know they can trust us to provide the first-class aviation support its lifesaving medical operations hinge on.

“As the UK's leading provider of specialist air ambulance operations we put a huge emphasis on combining our customers' experience and capabilities with our own. In partnership we can help ensure the right services and the right development opportunities for NWAA and always with the best possible outcome for patients at the heart of our operations.”

NWAA CEO Heather Arrowsmith adds: “Our work with Babcock started 22 years ago and in that time the company has provided us with safe and reliable aircraft, with all of the elements we need to help maximise patient impact. The critical requirements required from an aviation provider - safety, innovation, dependability and experience - were all met by Babcock's bid.

“This new contract will see us work together in a lifesaving partnership and grow the service we provide to our communities for many years to come. We are pleased to announce our partnership extension with Babcock, helping us to deliver advanced pre-hospital care at the roadside, to patients with complex emergency care needs across the North West.”

The contract award comes after East Anglian Air Ambulance also selected Babcock as its aviation partner for at least the next seven years.

Belmore continues: “Air ambulance charities demand the highest-quality operations, and rightfully so. To be awarded two long term contracts from two of the longest-established UK charities underlines our commitment to supporting and growing this nationally critical service and to remaining at the very heart of the UK's network of emergency service providers. We are enormously proud of what we have achieved in the last 22 years with NWAA, and I am hugely excited about what our future will bring.”