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BACKGROUND: Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) in the United Kingdom (UK) are provided in a mixed funding model, with the majority of services funded by charities alongside a small number of government-funded operations. More socially-deprived communities are known to have greater need for critical care, such as that provided by HEMS in the UK. Equity of access is an important pillar of medical care, describing how resource should be allocated on the basis of need; a concept that is particularly relevant to resource-intensive services such as HEMS. However, the Inverse Care Law describes the tendency of healthcare provision to vary inversely with population need, where healthcare resource does not meet the expected needs in areas of higher deprivation. It is not known to what extent the Inverse Care Law applies to HEMS in the UK. METHODS: Modelled service areas were created with each small unit geography locus in the UK assigned to its closest HEMS operational base. The total population, median decile on index of multiple deprivation, and geographic area for each modelled service area was determined from the most recently available national statistics. Linear regression was used to determine the association between social deprivation, geographic area, and total population served for each modelled service area. RESULTS: The provision of HEMS in the UK varied inversely to expected population need; with HEMS operations in more affluent areas serving smaller populations. The model estimated that population decreases by 18% (95% confidence interval 1-32%) for each more affluent point in median decile of index of multiple deprivation. There was no significant association between geographic area and total population served. CONCLUSION: The provision of HEMS in the UK is consistent with the Inverse Care Law. HEMS operations in more deprived areas serve larger populations, thus providing a healthcare resource inversely proportional with the expected needs of these communities. Funding structures may explain this variation as charities are more highly concentrated in more affluent areas.

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Background The 'lethal triad' of acidosis, hypothermia, and coagulopathy is now considered a diamond of death, with ionised hypocalcaemia (iHypoCa) contributing to cardiovascular decompensation and coagulopathy. iHypoCa may be associated with haemodynamic instability and adverse outcomes in paediatric major trauma patients. However, current data are limited. The primary aim of this pilot study was to report the association between admission iHypoCa and early hypotension on admission in a cohort of paediatric major trauma patients. Secondary aims include reporting the incidence and differential determinants of iHypoCa and the association with treatment (vasoactive agents, blood transfusion, interventional radiology (IR), or surgery) and adverse outcomes (length of stay, morbidity (Glasgow Outcome Scale), and mortality). Methods This pilot study is a retrospective analysis of paediatric major trauma patients (<16 years old) admitted to a major trauma centre (2016-2022). Patients with an admission ionised calcium level obtained before the administration of blood products were included. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the dichotomous endpoint of hypotension (systolic blood pressure of <80 mmHg for <1 year, <85 mmHg for one to five years, <90 mmHg for five to 12 years, <100 mmHg for >12 years) for association with hypocalcaemia and adjusted for other potential variables of interest (age, gender, Injury Severity Score, pre-hospital fluids, and acidosis). Results Admission iHypoCa was observed in 8/45 (17.8% (95% confidence interval (CI) 9.3-31.3%)) patients. Other than the adolescent age group (p < 0.05), there were no significant differences in the baseline characteristics. As a pilot study, this was not powered for statistical significance; however, point estimates of the odds of hypotension were almost three times higher for patients with iHypoCa (odds ratio (OR) 2.8 (95% CI 0.4-23.6), p = 0.33). An association between iHypoCa and the need for IR/surgery in the first 24 hours of admission was also observed (OR 10.9 (95% CI 1.4-159.4), p < 0.05). Conclusion iHypoCa was observed in approximately one in six paediatric major trauma patients at admission and may be associated with increased odds of requiring IR/surgery. Larger multicentre studies are required to clarify point estimates for treatment requirements and adverse outcomes.

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Background: Fewer than one in ten out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients survive to hospital discharge in the UK. For prehospital teams to improve outcomes in patients who remain in refractory OHCA despite advanced life support (ALS); novel strategies that increase the likelihood of return of spontaneous circulation, whilst preserving cerebral circulation, should be investigated. Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta (REBOA) has been shown to improve coronary and cerebral perfusion during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Early, prehospital initiation of REBOA may improve outcomes in patients who do not respond to standard ALS. However, there are significant clinical, technical, and logistical challenges with rapidly delivering prehospital REBOA in OHCA; and the feasibility of delivering this intervention in the UK urban-rural setting has not been evaluated. Methods: The Emergency Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta in Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (ERICA-ARREST) study is a prospective, single-arm, interventional feasibility study. The trial will enrol 20 adult patients with non-traumatic OHCA. The primary objective is to assess the feasibility of performing Zone I (supra-coeliac) aortic occlusion in patients who remain in OHCA despite standard ALS in the UK prehospital setting. The trial's secondary objectives are to describe the hemodynamic and physiological responses to aortic occlusion; to report key time intervals; and to document adverse events when performing REBOA in this context. Discussion: Using compressed geography, and targeted dispatch, alongside a well-established femoral arterial access programme, the ERICA-ARREST study will assess the feasibility of deploying REBOA in OHCA in a mixed UK urban and rural setting.Trial registration.ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06071910), registration date October 10, 2023, https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT06071910.

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AIM: The cohort of patients in which cardiac arrest centres (CAC) in rural and suburban populations confer the greatest survival benefit remains unclear. The aim of this study was to assess whether the transfer of resuscitated Utstein-comparator out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients direct to a CAC was associated with improved survival to hospital discharge compared to patients conveyed to non-specialist centres. METHODS: A consecutive sample of adult (≥18 years old) Utstein-comparator patients (witnessed collapse and initial shockable rhythm) were included from the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust Utstein resuscitation registry; 2018-2022. Logistic regression was used to compare survival to discharge in patients transported to CACs compared with patients transported to non-specialist centres. RESULTS: During the study period, resuscitation was attempted in 18,276 OHCA patients. N = 2448 (13.4%) met the Utstein-comparator definition and 1151 patients were included in the final analysis; per protocol. Survival was greater for patients conveyed directly to a CAC (n = 768, 60.7%) compared to non-specialist centres (n = 383, 47.3%); adjusted OR 1.44 (95%CI 1.07-1.94),p = 0.017. Amongst the centres analysed in this study, there was significant inter-hospital variability in survival between CACs (p = 0.017). There was no association between patient volume and survival (p = 0.850). CONCLUSION: Direct transport to a cardiac arrest centre was associated with a 44% increase in the odds of survival compared to conveyance to a non-specialist centre for resuscitated adult patients presenting with witnessed collapse and initial shockable OHCA rhythm.

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INTRODUCTION: Uncontrolled torso hemorrhage is the primary cause of potentially survivable deaths on the battlefield. Zone 1 Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta (REBOA), in conjunction with damage control resuscitation, may be an effective management strategy for these patients in the prehospital or austere phase of their care. However, the effect of whole blood (WB) transfusion during REBOA on post-occlusion circulatory collapse is not fully understood. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Yorkshire male swine (n = 6 per group, 70-90 kg) underwent a 40% volume-controlled hemorrhage. After a 10-minute hemorrhagic shock period, a REBOA balloon was inflated in Zone 1. Fifteen minutes after inflation, 0, 1, or 3 units (450 mL/unit) of autologous WB was infused through the left jugular vein. Thirty minutes after initial balloon inflation, the balloon was deflated slowly over 3 minutes. Following deflation, normal saline was administered (up to 3,000 mL) and swine were observed for 2 hours. Survival (primary outcome), hemodynamics, and blood gas values were compared among groups. Statistical significance was determined by log-rank test, one-way ANOVA, and repeated measures ANOVA. RESULTS: Survival rates were comparable between groups (P = .345) with 66% of control, 33% of the one-unit animals, and 50% of the 3-unit animals survived until the end of the study. Following WB infusion, both the 1-unit and the 3-unit groups had significantly higher blood pressure (P < .01), pulmonary artery pressure (P < .01), and carotid artery flow (P < .01) compared to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: WB transfusion during Zone 1 REBOA was not associated with increased short-term survival in this large animal model of severe hemorrhage. We observed no signal that WB transfusion may mitigate post-occlusion circulatory collapse. However, there was evidence of supra-normal blood pressures during WB transfusion.

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BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE: Following the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), a low body temperature on arrival at the hospital and on admission to the ICU is reportedly associated with increased mortality. Whether this association exists in the prehospital setting, however, is unknown. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate whether the initial, prehospital core temperature measured post-ROSC is independently associated with survival to hospital discharge in adult patients following OHCA. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: This retrospective observational study was conducted at East Anglian Air Ambulance, a physician-paramedic staffed Helicopter Emergency Medical Service in the East of England, UK. Adult OHCA patients attended by East Anglian Air Ambulance from 1 February 2015 to 30 June 2023, who had post-ROSC oesophageal temperature measurements were included. OUTCOME MEASURE AND ANALYSIS: The primary outcome measure was survival to hospital discharge. Core temperature was defined as the first oesophageal temperature recorded following ROSC. Multivariable logistic regression evaluated the adjusted association between core temperature and survival to hospital discharge. MAIN RESULTS: Resuscitation was attempted in 3990 OHCA patients during the study period, of which 552 patients were included in the final analysis. The mean age was 61 years, and 402 (72.8%) patients were male. Among them, 194 (35.1%) survived to hospital discharge. The mean core temperature was lower in nonsurvivors compared with those who survived hospital discharge; 34.6 and 35.2 °C, respectively (mean difference, -0.66; 95% CI, -0.87 to -0.44; P  < 0.001). The adjusted odds ratio for survival was 1.41 (95% CI, 1.09-1.83; P  = 0.01) for every 1.0 °C increase in core temperature between 32.5 and 36.9 °C. CONCLUSION: In adult patients with ROSC following OHCA, early prehospital core temperature is independently associated with survival to hospital discharge.

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BACKGROUND: Accurate haemodynamic monitoring in the prehospital setting is essential. Non-invasive blood pressure measurement is susceptible to vibration and motion artefact, especially at extremes of hypotension and hypertension: invasive arterial blood pressure (IABP) monitoring is a potential solution. This study describes the largest series to date of cases of IABP monitoring being initiated prehospital. METHODS: This retrospective observational study was conducted at East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA), a UK helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS). It included all patients attended by EAAA who underwent arterial catheterisation and initiation of IABP monitoring between 1st February 2015 and 20th April 2023. The following data were retrieved for all patients: sex; age; aetiology (medical cardiac arrest, other medical emergency, trauma); site of arterial cannulation; operator role (doctor/paramedic); time of insertion and, where applicable, times of pre-hospital emergency anaesthesia, and return of spontaneous circulation following cardiac arrest. Descriptive analyses were performed to characterise the sample. RESULTS: 13,556 patients were attended: IABP monitoring was initiated in 1083 (8.0%) cases, with a median age 59 years, of which 70.8% were male. 546 cases were of medical cardiac arrest: in 22.4% of these IABP monitoring was initiated during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. 322 were trauma cases, and the remaining 215 were medical emergencies. The patients were critically unwell: 981 required intubation, of which 789 underwent prehospital emergency anaesthesia; 609 received vasoactive medication. In 424 cases IABP monitoring was instituted en route to hospital. CONCLUSION: This study describes over 1000 cases of prehospital arterial catheterisation and IABP monitoring in a UK HEMS system and has demonstrated feasibility at scale. The high-fidelity of invasive arterial blood pressure monitoring with the additional benefit of arterial blood gas analysis presents an attractive translation of in-hospital critical care to the prehospital setting.

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BACKGROUND: Low-normal levels of arterial carbon dioxide (PaCO2) are recommended in the acute phase of traumatic brain injury (TBI) to optimize oxygen and CO2 tension, and to maintain cerebral perfusion. End-tidal CO2 (ETCO2) may be used as a surrogate for PaCO2 when arterial sampling is less readily available. ETCO2 may not be an adequate proxy to guide ventilation and the effects on concomitant injury, time, and the impact of ventilatory strategies on the PaCO2-ETCO2 gradient are not well understood. The primary objective of this study was to describe the correlation and agreement between PaCO2 and ETCO2 in intubated adult trauma patients with TBI. METHODS: This study was a retrospective analysis of prospectively-collected data of intubated adult major trauma patients with serious TBI, admitted to the East of England regional major trauma centre; 2015-2019. Linear regression and Welch's test were performed on each cohort to assess correlation between paired PaCO2 and ETCO2 at 24-hour epochs for 120 hours after admission. Bland-Altman plots were constructed at 24-hour epochs to assess the PaCO2-ETCO2 agreement. RESULTS: 695 patients were included, with 3812 paired PaCO2 and ETCO2 data points. The median PaCO2-ETCO2 gradient on admission was 0.8 [0.4-1.4] kPa, Bland Altman Bias of 0.96, upper (+2.93) and lower (-1.00), and correlation R2 0.149. The gradient was significantly greater in patients with TBI plus concomitant injury, compared to those with isolated TBI (0.9 [0.4-1.5] kPa vs. 0.7 [0.3-1.1] kPa, p<0.05). Across all groups the gradient reduced over time. Patients who died within 30 days had a larger gradient on admission compared to those who survived; 1.2 [0.7-1.9] kPa and 0.7 [0.3-1.2] kPa, p<0.005. CONCLUSIONS: Amongst adult patients with TBI, the PaCO2-ETCO2 gradient was greater than previously reported values, particularly early in the patient journey, and when associated with concomitant chest injury. An increased PaCO2-ETCO2 gradient on admission was associated with increased mortality.

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BACKGROUND: Critical hypertension in major trauma patients is associated with increased mortality. Prehospital emergency anaesthesia (PHEA) is performed for 10% of the most seriously injured patients. Optimising oxygenation, ventilation, and cerebral perfusion, whilst avoiding extreme haemodynamic fluctuations are the cornerstones of reducing secondary brain injury. The aim of this study was to report the differential determinants of post-PHEA critical hypertension in a large regional dataset of trauma patients across three Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) organisations. METHODS: A multi-centre retrospective observational study of consecutive adult trauma patients undergoing PHEA across three HEMS in the United Kingdom; 2015-2022. Critical hypertension was defined as a new systolic blood pressure (SBP) > 180mmHg within 10 min of induction of anaesthesia, or > 10% increase if the baseline SBP was > 180mmHg prior to induction. Purposeful logistical regression was used to explore variables associated with post-PHEA critical hypertension in a multivariable model. Data are reported as number (percentage), and odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (95%CI). RESULTS: 30,744 patients were attended by HEMS during the study period; 2161 received PHEA and 1355 patients were included in the final analysis. 161 (11.9%) patients had one or more new episode(s) of critical hypertension ≤ 10 min post-PHEA. Increasing age (compared with 16-34 years): 35-54 years (OR 1.76, 95%CI 1.03-3.06); 55-74 years (OR 2.00, 95%CI 1.19-3.44); ≥75 years (OR 2.38, 95%CI 1.31-4.35), pre-PHEA Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) motor score four (OR 2.17, 95%CI 1.19-4.01) and five (OR 2.82, 95%CI 1.60-7.09), patients with a pre-PHEA SBP > 140mmHg (OR 6.72, 95%CI 4.38-10.54), and more than one intubation attempt (OR 1.75, 95%CI 1.01-2.96) were associated with post-PHEA critical hypertension. CONCLUSION: Delivery of PHEA to seriously injured trauma patients risks haemodynamic fluctuation. In adult trauma patients undergoing PHEA, 11.9% of patients experienced post-PHEA critical hypertension. Increasing age, pre-PHEA GCS motor score four and five, patients with a pre-PHEA SBP > 140mmHg, and more than intubation attempt were independently associated with post-PHEA critical hypertension.

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BACKGROUND: Early blood transfusion improves survival in patients with life-threatening bleeding, but the optimal transfusion strategy in the pre-hospital setting has yet to be established. Although there is some evidence of benefit with the use of whole blood, there have been no randomised controlled trials exploring the clinical and cost effectiveness of pre-hospital administration of whole blood versus component therapy for trauma patients with life-threatening bleeding. The aim of this trial is to determine whether pre-hospital leukocyte-depleted whole blood transfusion is better than standard care (blood component transfusion) in reducing the proportion of participants who experience death or massive transfusion at 24 h. METHODS: This is a multi-centre, superiority, open-label, randomised controlled trial with internal pilot and within-trial cost-effectiveness analysis. Patients of any age will be eligible if they have suffered major traumatic haemorrhage and are attended by a participating air ambulance service. The primary outcome is the proportion of participants with traumatic haemorrhage who have died (all-cause mortality) or received massive transfusion in the first 24 h from randomisation. A number of secondary clinical, process, and safety endpoints will be collected and analysed. Cost (provision of whole blood, hospital, health, and wider care resource use) and outcome data will be synthesised to present incremental cost-effectiveness ratios for the trial primary outcome and cost per quality-adjusted life year at 90 days after injury. We plan to recruit 848 participants (a two-sided test with 85% power, 5% type I error, 1-1 allocation, and one interim analysis would require 602 participants-after allowing for 25% of participants in traumatic cardiac arrest and an additional 5% drop out, the sample size is 848). DISCUSSION: The SWiFT trial will recruit 848 participants across at least ten air ambulances services in the UK. It will investigate the clinical and cost-effectiveness of whole blood transfusion versus component therapy in the management of patients with life-threatening bleeding in the pre-hospital setting. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN: 23657907; EudraCT: 2021-006876-18; IRAS Number: 300414; REC: 22/SC/0072, 21 Dec 2021.

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INTRODUCTION: Hypocalcaemia forms part of the 'diamond of death' in major trauma, alongside hypothermia, acidosis and coagulopathy. In adults, admission hypocalcaemia prior to transfusion is associated with increased mortality, increased blood transfusion requirements and coagulopathy. Data on paediatric major trauma patients are limited. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to describe and synthesise the available evidence relevant to paediatric trauma, admission hypocalcaemia and outcome. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols guidelines will be used to construct this review. A planned literature search for articles in the English language will be conducted from inception to the date of searches using MEDLINE on the EBSCO platform, CINAHL on the EBSCO platform and Embase on the Ovid platform. The grey literature will also be searched. Both title and abstract screening and full-text screening will be done by two reviewers, with an adjudicating third reviewer. Heterogeneity will be assessed using the I2 test, and the risk of bias will be assessed using the ROBINS-I tool. A meta-analysis will be undertaken using ratio measures (OR) and mean differences for measures of effect. When possible, the estimate of effect will be presented along with a CI and a p value. ETHICAL REVIEW AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical review is not required, as no original data will be collected. Results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and at academic conferences. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42023425172.

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BACKGROUND: Post-intubation hypotension (PIH) after prehospital emergency anaesthesia (PHEA) is prevalent and associated with increased mortality in trauma patients. The objective of this study was to compare the differential determinants of PIH in adult trauma patients undergoing PHEA. METHODS: This multi-centre retrospective observational study was performed across three Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) in the UK. Consecutive sampling of trauma patients who underwent PHEA using a fentanyl, ketamine, rocuronium drug regime were included, 2015-2020. Hypotension was defined as a new systolic blood pressure (SBP) < 90 mmHg within 10 min of induction, or > 10% reduction if SBP was < 90 mmHg before induction. A purposeful selection logistic regression model was used to determine pre-PHEA variables associated with PIH. RESULTS: During the study period 21,848 patients were attended, and 1,583 trauma patients underwent PHEA. The final analysis included 998 patients. 218 (21.8%) patients had one or more episode(s) of hypotension ≤ 10 min of induction. Patients > 55 years old; pre-PHEA tachycardia; multi-system injuries; and intravenous crystalloid administration before arrival of the HEMS team were the variables significantly associated with PIH. Induction drug regimes in which fentanyl was omitted (0:1:1 and 0:0:1 (rocuronium-only)) were the determinants with the largest effect sizes associated with hypotension. CONCLUSION: The variables significantly associated with PIH only account for a small proportion of the observed outcome. Clinician gestalt and provider intuition is likely to be the strongest predictor of PIH, suggested by the choice of a reduced dose induction and/or the omission of fentanyl during the anaesthetic for patients perceived to be at highest risk.

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Background More than half of seriously injured children are not initially treated at a major trauma centre (MTC). Children may be transported by private vehicle to a trauma unit (TU). Children may also be transported by emergency medical services (EMS) to the nearest TU with approximately one in five of these undergoing secondary transfer to an MTC. Most trauma networks permit TU bypass to an MTC. However, the evidence on outcomes between transfer and bypass is limited. This study aimed to evaluate the use of the trauma network by comparing outcomes between paediatric major trauma patients by the method of presentation. Methods In this retrospective observational study, a consecutive sample of paediatric (<16 years old) major trauma patients transported to the regional MTC (Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH)) between 1st January 2015 and 31st December 2020 was included. Patients were excluded if they arrived at the MTC >24 hours post-injury or were transported to the MTC as the nearest hospital. Patients were divided into four groups: self-presented to MTC, MTC as nearest hospital, bypass and secondary transfer. Results A total of 315 patients (28 'self-presented', 55 'nearest', 58 'bypass' and 174 'secondary transfers') were included. The median age was 9.4 [3.7-13.6] years, and n=209 (66.3%) were male. The median Injury Severity Score (ISS) was 16.0 [9.0-25.0] and n=190 (60.3%) had an ISS >15. There was no difference in 30-day mortality between the 'bypass' and 'secondary transfer' groups. There was a significantly longer hospital and intensive care unit length of stay (LOS) in the bypass group compared to other groups, both p<0.001. The median time to definitive care was five hours greater in the secondary transfer group compared to 'bypass' (bypass 117.6 minutes [100.8-136.6], secondary transfer 418.8 minutes [315.6-529.8]). Conclusion There was no significant difference in 30-day mortality of paediatric major trauma patients who underwent secondary transfer compared to those transported directly from the scene to the MTC, despite significant time delays in reaching definitive care.

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BACKGROUND: Pre hospital emergency anaesthesia (PHEA) is a complex procedure with significant risks. First-pass intubation success (FPS) is recommended as a quality indicator in pre hospital advanced airway management. Previous data demonstrating significantly lower FPS by non-physicians does not distinguish between non-physicians operating in isolation or within physician teams. In several UK HEMS, the role of the intubating provider is interchangeable between the physician and critical care paramedic-termed the Inter-Changeable Operator Model (ICOM). The objectives of this study were to compare first-pass intubation success rate between physicians and critical care paramedics (CCP) in a large regional, multi-organisational dataset of trauma PHEA patients, and to report the application of the ICOM. METHODS: A retrospective observational study of consecutive trauma patients ≥ 16 years old who underwent PHEA at two different ICOM Helicopter Emergency Medical Services in the East of England, 2015-2020. Data are presented as number (percentage) and median [inter-quartile range]. Fisher's exact test was used to compare proportions, reported as odds ratio (OR (95% confidence interval, 95% CI)), p value. The study design complied with the STROBE (Strengthening The Reporting of Observational studies in Epidemiology) reporting guidelines. RESULTS: In the study period, 13,654 patients were attended. 674 (4.9%) trauma patients ≥ 16 years old who underwent PHEA were included in the final analysis: the median age was 44 [28-63] years old, and 502 (74.5%) were male. There was no significant difference in the FPS rate between physicians and CCPs-90.2% and 87.4% respectively, OR 1.3 (95% CI 0.7-2.5), p = 0.38. The cumulative first, second, third, and fourth-pass intubation success rates were 89.6%, 98.7%, 99.7%, and 100%. Patients who had a physician-operated initial intubation attempt weighed more and had a higher heart rate, compared to those who had a CCP-operated initial attempt. CONCLUSION: In an ICOM setting, we demonstrated 100% intubation success in adult trauma patients undergoing PHEA. There was no significant difference in first-pass intubation success between physicians and CCPs.

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INTRODUCTION: There is significant interest in the mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) attend the most seriously unwell and injured patients in the community; their data therefore present an early opportunity to examine self-harm trends. The primary aim was to compare the incidence of deliberate self-harm incident (DSH-I) encounters by HEMS before and during the first wave of COVID-19. METHODS: Data were obtained from all three East of England HEMS: total number of activations and stand-downs, number of DSH-I activations and stand-downs, self-harm mechanism and number of 'severe' DSH-I patient encounters, in two 61-day periods: 1 March to 30 April in 2019 (control) and 2020 (COVID-19). Severe DSH-I was defined as cardiac arrest and/or died prehospital. Proportions were compared with a Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: There were a total of 1725 HEMS activations: n=981 (control) and n=744 (COVID-19), a decrease of 24.2% during COVID-19. DSH-I patient encounters increased by 65.4%: n=26 (control) and n=43 (COVID-19). The proportion of encounters that were DSH-I and severe DSH-I both significantly increased during COVID-19: p=0.002 and p=0.001, respectively. The absolute number of hangings and falls from height both approximately tripled during COVID-19, whereas the number of other mechanisms remained almost constant. CONCLUSION: Despite a reduction in overall HEMS patient encounters, there were significant increases in both the proportion of DSH-Is and their severity attended by HEMS during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the East of England.

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