About us

Danish Air Ambulance is operated jointly by the five regions and is a cross-regional emergency response service.

About the organization

The five regions in Denmark jointly operate the four 24-hour emergency medical helicopters. The Nationwide Emergency Medical Helicopter Service is managed by an interregional steering group with representatives from all five regions. All major decisions regarding the operation and further development of the Nationwide Emergency Medical Helicopter Service are made by the steering group.

The Executive Director of the Capital Region of Denmark is the chairman of the steering group, and the secretariat function is located in the Prehospital Services in the Central Denmark Region.

The organization is positioned as an operational unit within the Prehospital Services in the Central Denmark Region, alongside other departments of the Prehospital Services.

The Steering Group and Secretariat

Chairman of the Steering Group

Erik Jylling
Koncerndirektør
Region Hovedstaden
+45 5128 3945
erik.jylling@regionh.dk

Administrative Leader

Olaf Grundtvig Barfoed
+45 7841 4940
olaf.barfoed@ph.rm.dk

Medical Director

Troels Martin Hansen
+45 4019 3203
troehans@rm.dk

Vision, Mission, and Values

Vision

The Nationwide Emergency Medical Helicopter Service ensures the right help for the right patient at the right time in Denmark.

Mission

The Nationwide Emergency Medical Helicopter Service contributes to the prehospital effort by:

  • Providing specialized medical assistance to areas where time and geography necessitate it, as an integrated part of the prehospital effort.
  • Ensuring quick medical assistance to citizens in an emergency situation and rapid transport to highly specialized treatment.

Values

  • Competence
  • Dialogue
  • Respect
  • Responsibility
  • Integrated patient care

History

Emergency medical helicopters have been on 24-hour duty over Denmark since 1 October 2014. The emergency medical helicopters are operated by the five regions jointly.

Thorough preparatory work

Before the permanent service entered into force in 2014, there were trial schemes with emergency medical helicopters in the North Denmark Region, Central Denmark Region and Region Zealand. Also the Region of Southern Denmark had assistance at its disposal in the form of a emergency medical helicopter from Northern Germany.

Parliamentary decision

In the Finance Act Agreement for 2013, the Ministry of Health and Prevention laid down the framework for the regions’ start-up and subsequent operation of Danish Air Ambulance.

The regions began the preparatory work on the service at the end of 2013. In the course of August 2014, the majority of the infrastructure and the healthcare organisation were ready for operation, so that there was time to provide the necessary instruction and training of physicians and other crew members before start-up.

In connection with the Finance Act Agreement for 2018, it was decided to expand Danish Air Ambulance with an extra helicopter crew from 2019 and onwards. The new helicopter became operational as scheduled on 2 January 2019 at noon.

Suppliers

Norsk Luftambulanse A/S is the supplier of Danish Air Ambulance. Read more about Norsk Luftambulanse A/S at the company’s website: www.nlaas.no