McArthur comments on ambulance delays

Commenting on the event at Bignold Park where an ambulance took 50 minutes to attend a broken leg, Orkney's MSP Liam McArthur said:

“First and foremost I want to send my best wishes to the player involved. I understand he is now receiving treatment in Aberdeen and hope he can make a swift and full recovery.

“A formal complaint has been made to the Scottish Ambulance Service about the way in which the 999 call was handled and I have written to the Chief Executive, Michael Dickson highlighting my own concerns about what appears to have happened.

“Indeed, I’ve made the point that this incident bears uncomfortable echoes with my own experience a few years ago when I dislocated my hip at a football match in Holm. On that occasion, it took around 45 minutes for the ambulance to arrive and only after multiple 999 calls were made.

“To the credit of local paramedics, as soon as they were tasked with the job, they arrived from Kirkwall in less than 10 minutes. However, it shouldn’t take so long for them to be given the call out, especially when it is obvious to anyone that an ambulance transfer is necessary.

“This latest case is even more serious and suggests lessons still haven’t been learned. That is not acceptable and something I will look to discuss with SAS in the coming days.”