Moray SNP News

LOCHHEAD WELCOMES INVESTMENT TO INCREASE AMBULANCE COVER IN MORAY

NEW 24/7 AMBULANCE SET TO BE STATIONED IN KEITH

The Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) has confirmed in a letter to Richard Lochhead MSP that a new 24/7 ambulance will be established at Keith this financial year.

Mr Lochhead has welcomed plans for additional resource in Moray, which is part of the Scottish Government’s investment into ambulance services across the country.

Moray’s MSP has long campaigned for the Scottish Ambulance Service to deliver greater resources for Moray, holding regular meetings with SAS management and the Scottish Government, and working with local staff to ensure their concerns have been heard.

Commenting Mr Lochhead said:

“I warmly welcome this investment and plans for additional ambulance resource at Keith.

“In recent years our local ambulance crews have been under significant pressures with increasing demand for services and more hospital transfers being carried out between Dr Gray’s and Aberdeen. Of course, there are now new challenges that have been brought about due to covid-19 and in particular with staff absence due to self-isolation and hospital turnaround times in recent weeks and months.

“Over the last few years I’ve worked closely with local ambulance staff to press for increased resources in Moray and there has been some progress with new posts created, the end of on call working at Dufftown, and now we have this welcome investment in resources at Keith.

“Whilst covid-19 will continue to cause challenges for local ambulance staff, I do hope that this investment will support existing crews in their efforts to care for our local population and will make the service in Moray more resilient.”