Air Ambulance Consultation

25 January, 2010 - 10:07 — admin

A consultation meeting was held in Castlebay Hall on Tuesday evening with Sam Kennedy and Jim Kerse from the Scottish Ambulance Service. Although not advertised in advance, the meeting managed to draw in a reasonable attendance and the Ambulance representatives were duly reprimanded for the failure to advertise the meeting.

Following on from the meeting held last November, there was considerable discussion about the problems associated with the current helicopter which provides the service for Barra; the concerns about the transfer of pregnant women, lack of space for parents of children at times when children were being air lifted out, the need for suitable ambulance for transfer of mentally ill patients and the overall response time from the callout to the arrival of the helicopter on Barra. Assurances were given that some of these issues were being dealt with under the current contract, and that the amendments to the “Budgie” made it more suitable for use with maternity cases and had increased the fuel carrying capacity of the aircraft.
 
Sam and Jim were left in no doubt about the local concerns that the Budgie was totally unsuitable for the delivery of an Air Ambulance service for Barra and that it was operating at the extreme edge of its range. Barra was looking for the basic needs to be met in the new contract, with a larger aircraft which has to have a considerably bigger range than at present; that can make Glasgow or Stornoway without the need to re fuel and that the new contract will deliver the service that Barra needs for the safety and health of the community.