Concern over Vale of Leven ambulance response times

Sep 26 2008 by Laura McLachlan, Lennox Herald (main ed)

DUMBARTON MSP Jackie Baillie has expressed her “concern and disappointment” over ambulance response times in Vale of Leven, Arrochar and Helensburgh.

The figures were revealed in the Scottish Parliament after Ms Baillie asked an official question about the response rates.

The numbers show that in Helensburgh, there was a 54.6 per cent response to A category life-threatening calls and 92.3 per cent in serious but not life-threatening category B calls.

The Vale of Leven’s response time was 61.7 per cent for A, and 94.6 per cent for B calls.

However, Arrochar was worst off, with just a 10.4 per cent response to A category and a 50.7 per cent performance to B category cases.

The Labour MSP’s main concern is that, as of next April, the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) must attend 75 per cent of category A emergency calls within eight minutes. Previously the attendance quotas were applied regionally.

Ms Baillie now believes the SNP government has downgraded the target and is concerned that this is an attempt to hide slower reponse times in rural areas like Arrochar.

She said: “Rural areas of Scotland deserve the same level of service as urban areas.

“The SNP must understand that its decision will lead to a slower service which will inevitably cost lives.”

In response, SNP MSP Shona Robinson said her party recognised SAS may not routinely meet targets in smaller communities but it would work to improve the service across Scotland.