ESSEX & Herts Air Ambulance, in partnership with the East of England Ambulance Service Trust (EEAST), has launched its first 24-hour Advanced Paramedic service, helping the charity reach more patients and cover a broader range of critical incidents.

Since an initial test period began on 15 June, the team has attended 75 patients, responding to a broad range of incidents, from medical emergencies such as cardiac arrests (40% of callouts) to road traffic collisions (23%), as well as other traumatic incidents. The car officially launched on 20th July 2026 and has been operating around the clock ever since.

Advanced Paramedics are specialist paramedics trained to deliver an enhanced level of critical care including advanced sedation, enhanced analgesia, and specialist cardiac arrest and major trauma care, bringing senior clinical decision-making, interventions and scene leadership to the patient's side, a level of support ambulance crews alone are not equipped to provide.

Advanced Paramedics, Scott Wallman recently attended a patient who had a time critical ankle injury, who was full of praise for their support and treatment – the patient said he is "forever grateful to Scott as his interventions saved his foot".

Advanced Paramedic James Mullett recently attended a patient who had an acute respiratory issue. She describes how she was "very scared, then James came and spoke with me and calmed me down. He directed the treatment to help me, then came to check on me in resus in the emergency department which I really appreciated".

The service is based out of the charity's Earls Colne airbase, operating via a dedicated Rapid Response Vehicle and tasked by EEAST's critical care dispatch desk. It is increasing the type and volume of critical care calls Essex & Herts Air Ambulance can respond to, while freeing the charity's HEMS (helicopter emergency medicine service) teams to focus on the most critically ill or injured patients requiring their level of care.

Advanced Paramedic response services already play a vital role in emergency care provided by charities across the East of England and Essex & Herts Air Ambulance's new service brings this same level of critical care to more patients across the region.

The service is currently running as a pilot, which the charity hopes will become a core part of what it offers in the future.

Mark Jarman-Howe, Essex & Herts Air Ambulance's CEO said: "Introducing Advanced Paramedics into our charity's clinical service is already helping to ensure patients get the help they need, when they require it most. In an emergency, that can make the difference between life and death.

"In just over two months, the team attended 75 patients, and we expect this new programme to potentially double the number of patients we can attend over time, which will be really significant for us, for those patients and for the wider community."

Dr Tony Joy, Essex & Herts Air Ambulance's Medical Director said: "We are committed to delivering the highest standard of pre-hospital care to every patient we attend. We continuously strive to improve patient outcomes through innovation and collaboration.

"This programme will undoubtedly help us to provide better care to more patients, as well as valuing the immense experience of our talented paramedics and helping them to develop further for the benefit of our patients."