Chamber
Plenary, 17 Sep 2008
17 Sep 2008 · S3 · Plenary
Item of business
Scottish Ambulance Service
Clearly, the deployment and placement of ambulances and ambulance staff is an operational matter for the Scottish Ambulance Service. I do not suppose anybody in the chamber or, indeed, any member of the public would be particularly reassured if I started to make those decisions for it. However, in general terms, there are no plans, in light of what I have announced today, to relocate ambulances from more rural areas to larger centres as part of the action plan to reduce single manning.
On the second question, it is important that the additional resources are allocated to areas where they are most needed. The key point about the additional staffing resources is that they will increase the relief capacity of the service, which is running considerably below what is considered to be the correct level. The additional resources will address that problem, and I am confident that they will address many of the legitimate issues that Rob Gibson and other members have consistently raised.
On the second question, it is important that the additional resources are allocated to areas where they are most needed. The key point about the additional staffing resources is that they will increase the relief capacity of the service, which is running considerably below what is considered to be the correct level. The additional resources will address that problem, and I am confident that they will address many of the legitimate issues that Rob Gibson and other members have consistently raised.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Alex Fergusson):
NPA
The next item of business is a statement by Nicola Sturgeon on the Scottish Ambulance Service. The cabinet secretary will take questions at the end of her st...
The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing (Nicola Sturgeon):
SNP
In the debate on 22 May, members raised a number of concerns about the Scottish Ambulance Service. I undertook to investigate each and every one of those con...
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
The cabinet secretary will take questions on the issues that were raised in her statement. We have about 30 minutes for questions, after which we will move t...
Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab):
Lab
I thank the cabinet secretary for the advance copy of her statement and for the reports. It is clear that she intends to keep me busy in my new role.I, too, ...
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
I welcome Cathy Jamieson to her new post. I have no doubt that she and I will have our disagreements, but I hope that we can also have some constructive enga...
Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
Con
I, too, welcome Cathy Jamieson to her new post. As the cabinet secretary said, we will no doubt disagree on many issues, but all politicians from all parties...
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
As I sat down after replying to Cathy Jamieson and praising Mary Scanlon for her consistent campaigning on single crewing, Jamie Stone shouted at me that he,...
Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD):
LD
I thank the cabinet secretary for the advance copy of her statement and the accompanying documentation, and for name checking me in what she just said.My fir...
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
The Scottish Ambulance Service advises me that the rostered crewing of fast-response vehicles by technicians rather than paramedics is an issue only in west-...
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
We come to open questions. I have 12 members requesting and 18 minutes to fit them into. You do the math, as they say.
Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP):
SNP
I very much welcome the £4.7 million investment in the service for the Highlands and Islands and the south-west. That is one of the best pieces of news of ex...
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
Clearly, the deployment and placement of ambulances and ambulance staff is an operational matter for the Scottish Ambulance Service. I do not suppose anybody...
Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab):
Lab
I welcome all the reports. On the data issue, does the cabinet secretary agree that, notwithstanding her saying that there was no evidence of deliberate mani...
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
I acknowledge all the pressures that the Scottish Ambulance Service is operating under, but they are not new pressures—the service was under those pressures ...
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
I must insist that members ask just one question now or we will not get everyone in.
Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP):
SNP
I welcome the cabinet secretary's announcement on single crews and rapid-response vehicles. Such vehicles undoubtedly make a big difference, but in the prese...
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
In many cases where a rapid-response vehicle is sent to an incident, an ambulance will automatically be sent as back-up. I stress that, in any case where a r...
Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab):
Lab
Does the cabinet secretary propose to review whether and how the appropriate training and upskilling of ambulance personnel is provided, so that we eliminate...
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
Without going into the details of that case, I assure Helen Eadie that it is the subject of investigation by the Scottish Ambulance Service. The service need...
Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I refer the cabinet secretary to the final paragraph on page 36 of Professor Donnelly's report, which states:"There is, at present, no routine validation of ...
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
I do agree, and it will be brought forward.Professor Donnelly's report on data makes the point that most performance data that come to the Government are fir...
Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab):
Lab
Although I welcome much of the cabinet secretary's statement, I am disappointed that it did not address the shortage of volunteer drivers. How many appointme...
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
I agree with Rhoda Grant that volunteer drivers do a wonderful job in the NHS. They provide a very valuable and important service. There is great pressure on...
Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con):
Con
I refer to Cathy Jamieson's question about the cabinet secretary's remarks on the investigation into the leadership culture, about which she is understandabl...
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
I am sure that Jackson Carlaw can tempt me in all sorts of directions, but I am not sure that that is one of them.
Members:
Steady!
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
I can feel myself blushing all of a sudden, although not as much as Jackson Carlaw.In all seriousness, I am restricted in what I can say about this issue. I ...
Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD):
LD
Three months ago, on 19 June, I suggested to the minister that a practical solution to the problems caused by withdrawing the ambulance service from the Brae...
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
The Scottish Ambulance Service is actively considering innovative solutions to provide the right kind of cover and sustainable services in rural areas. I gav...
Michael Matheson (Falkirk West) (SNP):
SNP
Like other members, I welcome the statement, especially the cabinet secretary's comments about tackling the issue of the accuracy of the performance data. Th...