The Auckland Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) was established in 2011. An initial two-year (week-day only) pilot to assess the value of a doctor-paramedic critical care team was guided by the CEOs of the ADHB and the ARHT, with clinical support from Drs Robin Mitchell, Tim Parke & John McDougall (a strong Scottish connection).

After two years, the DHB Clinical Practice Committee reviewed this pilot project, lending their support and approval for the HEMS doctor-paramedic model to expand to every day of the week. Our HEMS doctors currently represent Anaesthesia, Emergency Medicine and Intensive Care Medicine. Senior Medical Officers are drawn from across the region, including Waitemata, Auckland, Counties Manukau & the Bay of Plenty.

Recognising the development of Prehospital and Retrieval Medicine in Australasia, Auckland HEMS became the first service in New Zealand to be accredited by the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine for training in Prehospital and Retrieval Medicine. Our service was re-accredited for five years in 2018.

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We are now a regional service. As the Northern Rescue Helicopter Trust, we are now building our capability into a NASO Service Category One team: This will provide a 24/7/365 continuous doctor-paramedic service to our region.