Process for arranging a flight transfer (England)

This text is currently under review:

• Flight repatriations follow the same criteria as road transfers in that the booking region is responsible. However, if there is not a flight team based in the responsible region or the repatriating region, please contact one of the neonatal air transfer teams.
• Both the local team and the flight team should consider if flight is an appropriate modality for the baby (see criteria)
• On referral, please provide basic clinical details and bed availability. Also provide the preferred transfer date (as much notice as possible is appreciated but emergencies can be accommodated.)
• The flight team will contact their air provider to discuss the logistics and timings and will contact you with an update.
• The majority of flights will be charitably supported and the costs of air transport will not be passed onto you. On the exceptional occasion in which the costs cannot be met by charitable means, the flight will not be organised without your agreement.
• If road transport is required to or from a helicopter landing site, and either the referring or receiving regional transport teams have the resources to assist, that would be helpful, although it is by no means essential. Otherwise the flight team will arrange the ambulance either through the local NHS ambulance provider, or a private provider if the NHS ambulance service can't help. In the latter case there may be a small charge which will be passed on.
• On the day due to cot availability/weather/staffing etc it may not be possible to complete the transfer on the planned day in which case this will be communicated at the first opportunity and another flight offered if it remains appropriate.
• If the flight team you contact is not able to perform the flight themselves, they will discuss it with another flight team. There are many possible reasons why they might pass the referral onto another flight team, such as …
   - Timescale unachievable
   - Aircraft not available
   - Unable to staff flight
   - Equipment required out of team’s scope
   - Geographically more appropriate for another team to undertake
   - Weather
   - Night flying limitations
• Please do not refer the patient to more than one flight team; the flight team you first refer to are responsible for passing the flight on if they cannot accommodate it.
• Flight teams who receive a call for a urgent transfer and are not placed to triage or give advice within 2 hours will pass the referral onto another flight team.
• All flight teams undertake to substantially comply with the NTG air standards, underscored with a system of self assessment and peer review. These standards cover governance, operations, training, education, reporting, indemnity, insurance, communication and guidelines.