HOSPITAL and union chiefs are still locked in talks in a bid to break the deadlock over Southampton’s £1.2m helipad.

Plans to fly critically ill patients direct to Southampton General Hospital in a bid to save more lives were stalled at the 11th hour last week after porters claimed they had not received adequate training or extra pay for their extra responsibilities.

Now leaders of the Unite union insist that safety is the priority for its members.

They say they are not only concerned about their own wellbeing, but also for the safety of the patients, who they will be transporting from the helicopter landing site, on top of the car park, down a ramp and into the emergency department.

The Daily Echo has been told that while extra responsibilities may see the porters seek extra pay at a later stage, any pay negotiations would not delay the helipad scheme from becoming operational.

It is concerns over training that is preventing the air ambulance being able to use the helipad, completed after years of campaigning and fundraising.

Debbie Watson, Unite regional officer, said: “At this stage training is our priority.

We have a good relationship with the trust and we are working with them to ensure that all porters have adequate training, so they feel confident and comfortable using the helipad.

“It is great having the helipad but you don’t want to have a facility open which could put people at risk.

“Our porters don’t only care about themselves, they are thinking of the patients and they want to make sure that when they take the patient off of the helicopter that it is safe.

“Once all the porters feel the issues are resolved, the helipad will be opened and we hope that will be as soon as possible.

“Any negotiations over extra responsibilities and pay can be dealt with retrospectively, while the helipad is up and running.”

As reported in the Daily Echo last week University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the General, said it had had to delay the test flight last Wednesday due to some “unresolved issues” but that they did not anticipate a lengthy delay.

Once the test flight has been successfully completed, the helipad will be ready to receive flights any time of the day or night.