South Canterbury’s smallest patients will be flying in state-of-the-art equipment, thanks to a local trust.
St Vianney’s Timaru Trust donated $100,000 towards the purchase of two transport incubators, which will be used in the Westpac Rescue Helicopters and on the New Zealand Flying Doctors fixed-wing planes.
One of the incubators recently underwent testing at the air ambulance base, where specialists needed to finalise details of the bespoke mounting and transportation systems being developed.
Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora neonatal paediatrician and transport lead for the Christchurch neonatal unit Dr Ruth Sinclair said in a statement, moving the sickest and smallest babies around the country was as challenging as medicine could get.
‘‘Having the newest and most advanced equipment to provide life support to these babies truly saves lives and improves outcomes to the most precious patients.’’
Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust chief executive Christine Prince said it was wonderful to see the incubators first-hand.
The Westpac Rescue Helicopter has responded to 455 missions between January and August 2025; 85 of those missions were to South Canterbury.
Interhospital patient transfers account for 18% of all missions.
‘‘St Vianney’s unwavering generosity and dedication is truly exceptional and speaks volumes about its commitment to the long-term wellbeing of the South Canterbury community,’’ Ms Prince said.
‘‘We are profoundly grateful for their support, which continues to shape the future of emergency care in our region.’’
St Vianney’s Timaru Trust chairman Dale Walden said the impact of the Westpac Rescue Helicopter and New Zealand Flying Doctor services was immense.
‘‘We are proud to be supporting the services’ youngest patients by helping fund the purchase of this hightech transport incubator.’’
The trust was established after the closure of St Vianney’s Home of Compassion, where the Sisters of Compassion provided care for the elderly and sick in South Canterbury.
‘‘Our trustees are proud to continue the sisters’ work to promote and protect the health of our community. Just as the Sisters of Compassion saved lives, so does the work of St Vianney’s Timaru Trust, and our support of the Westpac Rescue Helicopter service and the New Zealand Flying Doctor service is testament to that.
‘‘The trustees are proud of the difference the trust has made to support our region’s access to skilled, time-critical air ambulance services.’’
Dr Sinclair said the new NXTGen transport incubators reflected the great advances that had been made in neonatal transport over the past decade, the biggest improvement being a new ventilator, which was a ‘‘game-changer’’ when moving the smallest babies.
The services are responsible for moving the most extreme preterm infants and those who are critically unwell to specialist care at Christchurch Hospital or Starship in Auckland.
They also support them on their journeys back to their home hospitals.
The final commissioning of the incubators is under way, and they are expected to be in service in the coming months.
Alongside St Vianney’s Timaru Trust, support for the purchase of the two NXTGen incubators was also provided by Air Rescue and Community Services, the J.I. Urquhart Family Trust and donations from the NZ Flying Doctor Trust Garden Party.
