LOOK UP IT'S A BIRD, IT'S A PLANE - NO IT'S A SUPER NEW HELIPAD

Hobart has a new addition to our skyline.

Today saw the first official arrival on the Royal Hobart Hospital K-Block Helipad following a week of testing.

Health Minister Sarah Courtney (pictured) welcomed the first day of operational duties on the rooftop of the new inpatient precinct known as K-Block located on the Campbell Street side of the Royal Hobart Hospital.

The helipad will be used for health care operations only with no commercial usage. It's designed to deliver critically injured and unwell patients directly to the hospital so they can receive treatment sooner. Patient journeys from the helipad are expected to take between three and five minutes maximum. All 12 K-Block lifts have a priority override function and the estimated time from the dedicated helipad lift to the lower ground level is less than 30 seconds.

The helipad may also be used to transport clinical staff to provide treatment off-site, to transport equipment and for training.

The site of helicopters will now become very familiar with one or two retrievals per day anticipated, including scheduled patient transfers from other hospitals such as neonatal babies needing specialist care.

Hobart's Rotorlift is contracted to provide helicopter services to aero-medical retrievals utilising two BK117s twin engine aircraft with night vision capability with crews consisting a pilot, intensive care flight paramedics (including a winch operator) and a doctor.

Health authorities say aeronautical engineering advice indicates that adjacent buildings will experience similar noise to the levels of emergency vehicles when they pass by with their sirens on. All arriving helicopters will hover above the helipad at around 35 feet, to ensure they can appropriately land, taking between two and three minutes to land and shut down after this decision point with the reverse applicable for aircraft taking off.

The Ambulance Tasmania State Operations Centre Duty Manager is responsible for notifying the Patient Flow Manager at the RHH of an incoming helicopter transfer. At least 30 minutes notice will be provided to the RHH so staff can prepare for the arrival including the allocation of a bed in the receiving clinical area.