Our Emergency Services

Events yesterday afternoon could have turned into a tragedy but, as it was, they served as a reminder to us of how well our local emergency services work together. They should take great pride in the comment on yesterday's post about the tandem riders. Another feature of the event was the good spirits of those waiting patiently in their cars, some of whom were held up for six hours.

Prominent at yesterday's events was the West Ardnamurchan Ambulance, with Emergency Responders Jessie and Maggie in charge, dressed in very smart suits with their names on them. They were on scene very quickly, as was Dr Topham, to check over the two drivers.

All of which leads directly to tomorrow's drop-in session with NHS Highland and the Scottish Ambulance Service. West Ardnamurchan Community Council's view is that, with our current Emergency Responders working well, and with three very well qualified applicants for the vacant Emergency Responder posts awaiting interview, we should be going along to congratulate the Scottish Ambulance Service on what has been achieved so far, while gently pointing out that there is still some way to go, particularly in respect of the Emergency Responders' training so they can deliver a safe and full service.

Our approach to NHS Highland needs to be very different. They have delivered none of their promises. The much-vaunted nurse who was going to live in the community, was going to be available in the Kilchoan Surgery each morning, and was going to be one of our Emergency Responders, has done none of those. The overall service offered by those District Nurses who trail down the peninsula seems to leave much to be desired - members of the community who have complaints about their experiences should air them.

Since the visit to Holyrood, West Ardnamurchan Community Council has adopted a constructive approach in the continuing discussions NHSH and the SAS, but time, and the community's patience, is running out. WACC is therefore urging everyone to attend the 'Open Drop-In Event' - tomorrow, Thursday, in the Community Centre between 2.00pm and 7.30pm. It is very important that we both praise the progress that has been made, and damn those elements of the NHS who have persistently failed us.