West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds will now be able to provide more comfortable transport for its most critically unwell patients thanks to the donation of a new medical buggy.

The medical vehicle – known as the ‘ambo-buggy’ – was donated to West Suffolk Foundation Trust (WSFT) earlier this month by The Help Appeal – a charity which provides funding to projects which help save lives and improve a patient’s chances of a full recovery.

The buggy will be used to transport patients flown into West Suffolk Hospital by air ambulance to the hospital’s emergency department.

As a specially adapted medical vehicle, the buggy can host a stretcher and has seating for both the driver and the critical care team providing care to the patient.

Barry Moss, head of emergency preparedness, resilience and response for WSFT, said: “While our helipad is located quite closely to our emergency department, for these often critically injured or unwell patients, reducing stress and improving comfort is really important.

“Previously patients would have been brought to the emergency department on a stretcher from the landed helicopter, which is time consuming, bumpy, and difficult to manoeuvre.

“Using this new medical vehicle, we’ll be able to get patients into hospital care more quickly and more comfortably.”

The hospital welcomed Robert Bertram, chief executive of the Help Appeal, for the buggy’s delivery.

Mr Bertram said: “The HELP Appeal is a charity that helps critically ill patients receive the best pre-hospital care to allow the greatest chance of survival and recovery.

“The patient’s comfort and reducing the amount of time it takes to get to the emergency department are crucial and now this can be achieved at West Suffolk hospital with its new, state-of-the-art, medical vehicle.

“Patients will now be transferred from the helipad to the expert care they urgently need, quickly and smoothly. We are delighted that the Help Appeal could cover the entire cost.”