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Air ambulance petition is presented to Stormont | |
(about 4 hours later) | |
A petition signed by more than 80,000 people calling for an air ambulance service to be established has been presented to Stormont. | |
The petition had been organised by a campaign group following the death of Dr John Hinds in July. | |
Dr Hinds was known as one of the "flying doctors" of Irish road racing, providing medical cover at the events. | |
Earlier this year he had called for the provision of an air ambulance for Northern Ireland. | |
More than 65,000 people have given their support to the petition online, and 16,000 more have signed on paper. | |
Traditional Unionist Voice leader Jim Allister presented the petition in the Northern Ireland Assembly on Tuesday. | |
He said that the presentation was "tinged with sadness" because the "great champion of this cause is no longer with us". | |
"It was Dr John's vision and his passion for the need to deliver a proper air ambulance service to Northern Ireland that started this campaign [and] invigorated it," Mr Allister added. | |
Last week, Stormont's Health Minister Simon Hamilton said he was committed to establishing an emergency medical helicopter service in Northern Ireland as part of a new trauma network. | Last week, Stormont's Health Minister Simon Hamilton said he was committed to establishing an emergency medical helicopter service in Northern Ireland as part of a new trauma network. |
The minister added that because of the difficult financial climate, his department would "need to establish if it is possible to secure a robust and recurrent charitable funding contribution for this service". | The minister added that because of the difficult financial climate, his department would "need to establish if it is possible to secure a robust and recurrent charitable funding contribution for this service". |
Mr Allister told the assembly the Department of Health should "show its bona fides" by "capital funding the acquisition and the equipping of the helicopter". |
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