Chamber
Plenary, 27 Feb 2003
27 Feb 2003 · S1 · Plenary
Item of business
Ambulance Service (Wick)
Almost all the out-of-hours calls are dealt with locally in Wick. Transfers are the exception, not the rule. We must see the picture as it is.
In addition to performing continuing reviews of demands on ambulance stations, staff and managers in the Highlands operate a system under which any incidence of excessive working hours is identified immediately and staff are stood down until they are fit to resume duty. Managers who cover the Highlands have received no reports that any member of staff has worked 20 hours or more in a 24-hour period. Since last August, only eight out-of-hours transfers of patients from the Wick area have been undertaken, all of which were to hospitals in Inverness. Only twice were staff asked to stand down before completing their shifts. Those incidents were the result of cases in the early hours, and the numbers of hours that were worked in the 24-hour periods were eight hours and 55 minutes and 13 hours and 41 minutes. The situation is rare, but when it happens, action is taken. In the past four months, no out-of-hours transfers have occurred in the Wick area, and in the previous four months, only two transfers took place.
The Scottish Ambulance Service has worked closely with the Health and Safety Executive to ensure compliance with the European working time directive, which Duncan Hamilton described. No breaches of the directive have been recorded.
I hope that members accept that the Executive is committed to a Scottish Ambulance Service that is responsive to the needs of all in our population, wherever they may be—even in our remote and rural areas. People in those areas deserve the service as much as anybody else does and we are working to ensure that they have it.
In addition to performing continuing reviews of demands on ambulance stations, staff and managers in the Highlands operate a system under which any incidence of excessive working hours is identified immediately and staff are stood down until they are fit to resume duty. Managers who cover the Highlands have received no reports that any member of staff has worked 20 hours or more in a 24-hour period. Since last August, only eight out-of-hours transfers of patients from the Wick area have been undertaken, all of which were to hospitals in Inverness. Only twice were staff asked to stand down before completing their shifts. Those incidents were the result of cases in the early hours, and the numbers of hours that were worked in the 24-hour periods were eight hours and 55 minutes and 13 hours and 41 minutes. The situation is rare, but when it happens, action is taken. In the past four months, no out-of-hours transfers have occurred in the Wick area, and in the previous four months, only two transfers took place.
The Scottish Ambulance Service has worked closely with the Health and Safety Executive to ensure compliance with the European working time directive, which Duncan Hamilton described. No breaches of the directive have been recorded.
I hope that members accept that the Executive is committed to a Scottish Ambulance Service that is responsive to the needs of all in our population, wherever they may be—even in our remote and rural areas. People in those areas deserve the service as much as anybody else does and we are working to ensure that they have it.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Mr Murray Tosh):
Con
The final item of business is a members' business debate on the Wick ambulance service.
Motion debated,
That the Parliament recognises the vital work of the Wick ambulance service; is concerned at the lack of additional funding that was made available to the Hi...
Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD):
LD
When eventually I finish work tonight, after we have concluded a short meeting on the Holyrood project at perhaps 7 o'clock or 8 o'clock, I shall drive home ...
Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP):
SNP
I congratulate Jamie Stone on securing the debate on this important issue for his constituency.As Jamie Stone said, there was when I was elected a similar si...
Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
Con
I congratulate Jamie Stone on highlighting the ambulance service in this way, because the service is of the utmost importance to people's lives. In a perfect...
John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD):
LD
I am thankful for the opportunity to take part in this debate and I thank Jamie Stone for bringing it before Parliament.Much of what Jamie Stone has told mem...
Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP):
SNP
I have two initial points, one of consensus and one of discord. I join other members in welcoming the debate and congratulating Jamie Stone on securing it, b...
The Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care (Mrs Mary Mulligan):
Lab
I welcome Jamie Stone's motion and am pleased to be able to take the opportunity to discuss the ambulance service, particularly in relation to the Wick area....
Mr Hamilton:
SNP
Will the minister take an intervention?
Mrs Mulligan:
Lab
I will not give way to the member just yet. I may do so later, if I have time, but I have a lot of points to respond to.As the first session of the new Parli...
Mr McGrigor:
Con
I hear what the minister is saying about upgrading, and I agree with that. Wick has Caithness general hospital, yet trips have to be made all the time to Rai...
Mrs Mulligan:
Lab
Almost all the out-of-hours calls are dealt with locally in Wick. Transfers are the exception, not the rule. We must see the picture as it is.In addition to ...
Meeting closed at 17:36.