Ayrshire's outrage over plan to axe ambulance service

Apr 30 2008 Ayrshire Post

A FURIOUS community say lives could be lost if their ambulance service is axed.

Residents have predicted "disaster" should health chiefs pull the plug on the rescue vehicle.

The Ayrshire Post can reveal that Scottish ambulance bosses have targeted Maybole as one of the towns to lose their crew as part of a nationwide cull.

Under radical restructuring plans, they’ll be replaced by a ‘rapid response unit’ — a car which carries paramedics.

But critics are lining up to attack the move and say health bosses are playing with fire by chopping a crucial service.

An ambulance insider insisted: "What they’re trying to do here is a piece of nonsense and everyone should know about it.

"It’s all very well to have a rapid response vehicle in Maybole, but all it has is a paramedic who can treat you before an ambulance arrives.

"So what if the nearest ambulances in Girvan or Ayr are out on other calls? The car doesn’t take passengers so you can’t be treated."

Maybole community leaders have joined forces to hit out and are already promising to fight any axe that falls.

Community councillor, David Kiltie, confessed: "This will be a disaster if it’s allowed to happen.

"And you have to wonder if it’s some kind of retribution against us for our campaign against closing the Accident and Emergency unit at Ayr.

"No matter how you look at it, this is a downgrading of the service and that leads to the potential of serious consequences.

"You hope those won’t be fatal but logic tells you the threat is very much there. We’ll definitely lead a campaign to fight this."

But ambulance bosses claim their plan is actually an IMPROVEMENT and the public shouldn’t be worried.

A spokesman for the Scottish Ambulance Service said: "It won’t seem like it to most people, but this will provide a better service.

"At the moment it’s only a plan, but having a rapid response vehicle instead of an ambulance allows Maybole’s station to be manned 24 hours a day.

"We’ve analysed the demand pattern for the area in terms of call outs and we don’t think it will impact too greatly.

"The net effect of this move would be quicker response times."

Cumnock, Carrick and Doon Valley MSP, Cathy Jamieson, is backing her constituents’ cause.

She said: "Any reduction or cutback in the level of service for Maybole, or any other rural communities in Carrick or the Doon Valley, is completely unacceptable.

"And rural areas must have confidence that they can expect quick response times and the highly trained paramedic staff that are so vital in saving lives.

"The Scottish Ambulance Service must publish its detailed proposals for change in Ayrshire. If the Ambulance Service describe these changes as an ‘upgrade’ then they have a duty to explain to the public who will be affected and who rely on them for life-saving emergency treatment.

"And they should engage directly with local organisations, and concerned residents before making any final decision. The priority must be to save lives."