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Amazon drone deliveries set for take off in the UK for the first time
AMAZON drone deliveries are set for take off in the UK for the first time.
The tech giant has been using them in the US since 2022 and had said in 2023 they would be taking to the air here by the end of last year.
Amazon drone deliveries are set for take off in the UK for the first time[/caption]Amazon is today set to announce plans for flights from a delivery centre in the North East.
Bosses will say: “Prime Air is taking steps to start planning for initial flights from our fulfilment centre in Darlington.”
The drones will be able to transport goods in shoe box-sized package within 30 minutes.
But the maximum weight of deliveries is no more than 5lbs, or 2.2kg, ruling out the possibility of bulky goods.
Amazon’s drone device, the MK30, has been updated so it can cope with rain — an essential for the British weather.
However insiders cautioned that the process could still take many months before Amazon drones take to our skies.
Amazon’s Prime Air still has to get the green light from the Civil Aviation Authority and local planning permissions to use the airspace and a landing dock next to its warehouse in Darlington, Co Durham.
But an Amazon spokesman said. “We are ready and excited to make drone delivery a reality for our UK customers.
“We have built safe and reliable drone delivery services elsewhere in the world in close partnership with regulators and the communities we serve, and we are working to do the same in the UK.”
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “I am delighted that Teesside will become home to Amazon’s first UK drone delivery service.
“In Teesside we do things differently.
“We say yes when others say it’s too difficult.
“We are grabbing the opportunities and the optimism of the tech revolution — so it’s no surprise that Amazon has chosen Darlington as the location to launch Prime Air in the UK.”
The drones will be able to transport goods in a shoe box-sized package within 30 minutes[/caption]External reviews underway into delivery of 9 babies at Irish hospital after maternity services’ concerns raised with HSE
THE HSE have announced external reviews into the delivery of nine babies at Portiuncula University Hospital after concerns were raised.
Health bosses brought in a “highly experienced management team” to oversee maternity services at the Galway hospital in the coming months.
The HSE announced that external reviews will be carried out in to the delivery of nine babies at Portiuncula University Hospital[/caption]This team, headed by external consultant obstetrician Dr Mark Skehan, will manage and support all aspects of maternity, gynaecology and neonatal services.
The HSE said the team will report directly to the HSE West and North West regional management.
In a statement, Regional Clinical Director Dr Pat Nash expressed apologies to the women and families who may be worried or upset by this news.
He said: “I want to firstly apologise to all those women and families for whom this news will be worrying or upsetting, we are making these changes now to ensure that the maternity service at Portiuncula is as safe as possible for mothers and their babies.
“External reviews are currently under way into the delivery of nine babies in PUH. Since 2024, seven babies had hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE), resulting in six of those babies being referred for neonatal hypothermic treatment, also referred to as neonatal cooling.
“In 2023, two stillbirths occurred at the hospital and the care provided in relation to these two deliveries is also currently being reviewed externally.”
Dr Nash also pointed out that the incidence of HIE, which led to the need for neonatal cooling treatment, is much higher than what’s seen nationally or internationally in a similar timeframe.
Hypoxic Ischaemic Encephalopathy can be caused by various factors and refers to the lack of blood or oxygen supply to a baby’s brain before, during, or after birth.
And Dr Nash added that Therapeutic Hypothermia is now the standard treatment for term infants with moderate to severe HIE.
He added: “This treatment involves cooling a baby quickly after birth and keeping them cool for several days. It slows the brain’s metabolism and can prevent further damage. The sooner body cooling starts, the better the outcomes for the baby.”
Tony Canavan, Regional Executive Officer, emphasised that their main concern is the women who have had, or will have, babies at Portiuncula and the well-being of their children.
He said: “From today, we have appointed a highly experienced team, led by an external consultant obstetrician to manage and lead the maternity service at Portiuncula University Hospital to ensure as safe and high quality services as possible, while we await the outcome of the reviews currently underway.
“We are concerned by these cases and we believe it is important that we review the care provided.
“We know this is a distressing time for women whose care is under review and we apologise for any added distress that this news brings.”
‘Additional measures put in place to improve safety ‘
Dr Cliona Murphy, Clinical Director of the HSE National Women and Infants Health Programme, said they’re now working closely to put additional measures in place to improve safety for women delivering their babies.
She said: “We have been working closely with the team in HSE West and North West and at Portiuncula University Hospital to put in place more measures to improve safety for women delivering their babies at this unit.
“We will continue to provide the necessary support to the unit and will work closely with the new management team there, led by an external consultant obstetrician.
“A series of service improvement plans and other measures were implemented at the unit following these reviews.”
Women who have questions about the maternity unit can contact the HSE directly at 1800 807 008.