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Frustration grows as ambulance provision delayed even further for Turriff


By David Porter

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The rollout of a dedicated ambulance to address soaring waiting times in Turriff has been delayed once again due to 'staff recruitment issues'.

MP David Duguid received the latest update on ambulance provision.
MP David Duguid received the latest update on ambulance provision.

The Scottish Ambulance Service confirmed the set-back in an update to Banff and Buchan MP David Duguid who has been campaigning for a dedicated vehicle to be put in place for the town.

In an email to the MP, ambulance bosses said the new service will now not be in place until May due to recruitment taking longer than expected.

The move will eventually see an ambulance on standby in the town but an exact location has still to be found.

Bosses revealed that a second ambulance at Banff is still in process of being fully upskilled to a full accident and emergency conveying resource and will operate increased hours.

Figures released by the ambulance service showed Turriff residents waited more than twice as long for an ambulance as those in other parts of the region last year.

In life-threatening situations, the average length of time taken to respond to a 999 call from Turriff was 22 minutes 16 seconds.

The figure for the town has risen by almost seven minutes since 2019 when it had an average of 15 minutes 45 seconds.

The Public Meeting held last year showed the scale of concern in the community.
The Public Meeting held last year showed the scale of concern in the community.

Mr Duguid held a public meeting in Turriff last August which was attended by more than 150 people covering issues such as ambulance cover.

In a response to the delay of the rollout, the MP said: “It’s obviously disappointing that the introduction of a dedicated ambulance for Turriff has been delayed until May.

“But this underlines the depth of the crisis facing the retention and recruitment of staff in the sector and the impact this is having on waiting times which are spiraling out of control in places like Turriff and Banff.

“There needs to be sustained and systemic action from the Scottish Government to ensure the ambulance service can overcome barriers when recruiting staff.

“For seriously ill patients suffering strokes or heart attacks, mere minutes could be the difference between life and death which is why having an ambulance in Turriff, even if only on standby, is so vital to the community.

“I continue to engage with the Scottish Ambulance Service and I am grateful to them for the work which has gone in to get to this point.

“However, it’s imperative further delays don’t occur which may ultimately lead to more suffering for patients and, ultimately, avoidable deaths within the community.”

An update given to Mr Duguid from the ambulance service said: “Recruitment of additional staff, as an output of the programme, has taken longer than was initially anticipated.

"However, this is continuing, and we are planning to have all staff and staff rosters in place for beginning of May 2023.

“As a result, the current second ambulance based at Banff, is being upskilled to a full Accident & Emergency conveying resource and will also operate increased hours from those currently.

“The Scottish Ambulance Service are currently working with partners to finalise a standby location in Turriff where the second ambulance, starting and finishing shifts in Banff, will be deployed to when available, to stand by in the town as part of a wider resource tactical deployment plan.

“We continue to work very closely with our staff representatives and other stakeholders in bringing this development online.”


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