A LIFE-saving flying doctors service is to fold after 20 years on the road.

Doctor Barrie Davies is stopping the vital Wyre Forest Flying Doctors service, which has attended more than 3,000 accidents since 1981.

Demand for the service has dropped to an all-time low with only five call-outs in the first five months of this year.

Dr Davies acknowledged advances in paramedic training and activity had accounted for the fall in demand.

But he felt the service had been shunted out by the ambulance service.

"It's difficult to assess our value but there will surely be a significant number of people still alive who wouldn't be so without its intervention," he said.

"It's unclear why ambulance control hasn't called for assistance from the squad because we feel there've been numerous occasions over the past five months where injuries have been serious enough to justify calling for medical back-up.

"We strongly feel they're wrong to assume paramedics are capable of dealing with all situations."

He said other factors in his decision included concern that lack of calls and practise would lead to de-skilling of doctors, while some medics who worked for the service had moved or retired, and current GPs were overburdened by their workload.

From a peak of eight there are now three flying doctors - Dr Davies, Dick Herbert and David Malcolmson.

"The work has been very rewarding and we hope the people of Wyre Forest have appreciated our efforts. We also hope we have given them value for money for their very generous donations," said Dr Davies, whose team has benefited from more than £100,000 in public donations.

"The three remaining doctors will keep the equipment they carry and make sure it's always serviced and ready for use at all times."

Meanwhile, Dr Herbert said he was negotiating to work with the Bromsgrove Flying Doctor and hoped to cover Wyre Forest.

Hereford and Worcester Ambulance Trust said it was saddened at the group's decision.

Acting chief executive Linda Millinchamp confirmed the need for the service had fallen with the increased standards of paramedics.

Committed

However, it was committed to working with the British Association for Immediate Care, of which Flying Doctors is a member.

She revealed a meeting with BASICS doctors across the counties earlier this month was not attended by the Wyre Forest Group.

Among actions agreed was fast-track pager service for doctors willing to help the ambulance service.