Queen Elizabeth Hospital Helipad relocation

The relocated helipad for The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) in King’s Lynn is now fully operational on the opposite side of the road along the B1145. This significant step paves the way for the Trust’s new multi-storey car park due to begin onsite in 2026, which will allow for the new QEH to be built on the current main car park.

The new facility has been generously funded through a donation by the HELP Appeal, the only charity in the country dedicated to funding NHS helipads, which has donated £516,000 to cover the entire cost of the new QEH helipad.

Chris Bown, Interim Executive Managing Director, explains: “It’s a big day at The QEH today. This permanent relocation of the helipad is a massive step forward on our journey to a new hospital for our patients and community. This move means we can progress with construction of our multi-storey car park whilst still keeping this vital, lifesaving facility close by.

“We’d like to extend a big thank you to the HELP Appeal for their support and our colleagues in the air ambulance for their full backing. It’s been a real team effort to make this relocation a reality.”

Robert Bertram, Chief Executive of the HELP Appeal says: “Thanks to our supporters we have funded this new helipad to ensure air ambulance crews can continue to deliver critically ill patients quickly and safely to lifesaving care at hospital. It is a vital investment for the people of King’s Lynn and the wider region and we are delighted to support such an important step in the hospital’s future.”

Plans for the new helipad have been worked on with East Anglian Air Ambulance; our crews use this important resource regularly for operational reasons due to its central location in the eastern region.

Richard Hindson, Director of Operations and Infrastructure at East Anglian Air Ambulance, says, “The relocation of the permanent helipad at Queen Elizabeth Hospital is welcome news for emergency care for our region. Having a network of fully lit helipads, available 24/7, means our crews can get patients to hospital by air safely, even in the dark. Every second matters in saving lives, and this development will make a real difference for patients and their families. We’re incredibly grateful to the HELP Appeal, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, and everyone who worked together to make this possible.”

Patients arriving at the site who need care at The QEH will be transferred to the Emergency Department via ambulance for further care – as happened from the previous onsite helipad.

The new helipad lighting system is a wholly solar powered, designed to ensure sustainable battery power even in low light and through the winter to give resilience in all weathers. The helipads system uses the latest technology and can be controlled on the ground or with in-flight activation from approaching helicopters. It is all fully compliant to current the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) standards.

As a Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) hospital, The QEH has been prioritised by the government to be rebuilt by the Governments New Hospital Programme. As part of the Norfolk and Waveney Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group the James Paget University Hospital (JPUH) is also part of the programme and is progressing plans for a new hospital in Gorleston.