18 September 2012 Last updated at 06:21 ET

Helipad to be built at St George's Hospital in Tooting

The helipad is to come into use next summer

A £4m helipad is to be built at St George's hospital in Tooting, south-west London.

The helipad is the second to be built at a hospital in the city, the first being at the Royal London hospital in Whitechapel.

With direct access to the hospital's A&E department, it is hoped that it will significantly reduce transfer times for critically ill patients.

Construction will begin in December, and it is set to open next summer.

Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance and London's Air Ambulance will use the helipad. It is first to be south of the river.

The Helicopter Emergency Landing Pads (HELP) appeal contributed £1m while the County Air Ambulance Trust, which has helped to build helipads at other hospitals, has contributed a quarter of the total fund.

Heather Jarman, clinical director for major trauma at St George's Healthcare NHS Trust, said: "A helipad at the hospital providing express access to A&E will save lives and give these patients a much better chance of a good recovery from their injuries."