Cross Party steps forward on ambulances in the NW

Thanks to a local partnership between Dr Andeas Herfurt, clinical lead for the NW Sutherland Local Health Partnership and Alan Miller area service manager for North District, Scottish Ambulance Service agreed proposals to solve the recruitment and retention of ambulance staff in the NW.

This was made possible by a cross-party agreement at a meeting held in Melvich today (Mon. 12 Jan).

Myself and Jamie Stone MSP, along with local Highland Councillors George Farlow and Robbie Rowantree, agreed a set of practical proposals to ensure that the needs of patients are put first in our sparsely populated area.

The meeting unanimously agreed to submit proposals to the Cabinet Secretary for Health based on the employment of full time ambulance staff in remote stations.

They agreed that the essential difference from the past would be that ambulance personnel should be able to undertake complimentary health duties.

Since Nicola Sturgeon repeated her instruction that each part of the NHS "must work together" at Parliamentary Questions last Thursday, the meeting in Melvich is looking for steady progress to apply their detailed proposals in practice.