Publish date: 24 November 2025
New helipad opens at North East specialist emergency hospital
A new helipad is now ready for use at the Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital in Cramlington.
Work to create the facility started earlier this year and was completed in October. The helipad has now been signed off for use by all operators, including the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS).
The project, which ensures the helipad meets the latest aviation standards, was supported by a £630,000 donation from the HELP Appeal, the only charity in the country dedicated to funding NHS hospital helipads.
The new helipad features a larger concrete landing pad plus other enhancements, including aviation lighting to support night-time landings.
Paul McNeillie, Northumbria Healthcare’s deputy director responsible for the project, said: “We are delighted that the helipad is now open and ready for use, as this is a key facility to support timely, life-saving care across the large area we cover in Northumberland and North Tyneside.
“We remain very grateful to the HELP Appeal for its generous donation and would also like to thank Cramlington Juniors Football Club, who allowed us to use their field in the interim to ensure there was somewhere for emergency helicopters to land.”
Kris Lawson is an emergency care consultant at the Northumbria hospital. He also works for GNAAS.
“Our trust covers an enormous area, and some patients are a long way from hospital,” he said. “GNAAS can bring hospital-level care direct to the patient.
“This upgraded helipad allows much easier transport into hospital for these critically ill and injured patients and will offer significant benefit to people in our region.”
The new helipad is part of a wider project taking place at the hospital, which is being managed by the trust’s estates subsidiary, Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management.
Its managing director, Damon Kent, said: “The new helipad is a fantastic addition to the Cramlington site, and I would like to thank our teams and external partners on this project for delivering it on time and to such a high standard.”
Robert Bertram, chief executive of the HELP Appeal added: “We are incredibly proud to support this new helipad. Thanks to its construction, emergency helicopters can land safely and swiftly - day or night - helping deliver lifesaving care to patients across the region.
"This wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of our supporters and we’re pleased that our £630,000 contribution will make a huge difference when every second counts."
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