Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service (EMRTS Cymru)

General information

The Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service Cymru (EMRTS Cymru) is the first national service of its kind in the UK and has been developed using the latest evidence from military and civilian experience.

The service is designed to bring teams of Doctors and Critical Care Practitioners to an injured patient, giving them access to life-saving treatment at the scene of their injury or accident.

It is estimated EMRTS Cymru could contribute to at least a 40% improvement in survival rates from major trauma in Wales and could reduce transfer times to specialist hospital care by more than 40%.

The introduction of the new service, which will serve all Wales, will mean 95% of the population will be able to access doctor-led care within 30 minutes.

EMRTS Cymru will be delivered by a team of highly-trained NHS Doctors from emergency medicine, anaesthesia and intensive care working jointly with Critical Care Practitioners from the Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust.

It will be delivered in partnership with the Wales Air Ambulance charity, using its existing three air ambulances. EMRTS will provide NHS consultants to Wales Air Ambulance flights – it will be in addition to the charity’s existing helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) operations across Wales.