Lib Dems call for probe into ambulance service delays

THE SCOTTISH Liberal Democrats yesterday called for an investigation into ambulance delays after unearthing f igures for Courier Country.

Response time statistics showed paramedics in Dundee took longer than 20 minutes to respond to lifethreatening ‘Category A’ calls on 30 occasions in the last financial year.

In Arbroath that figure was 25, Montrose 20 and Forfar seven, while Blairgowrie was 30, Perth 25, Crieff 20 and Stirling 17.

In Fife, Dunfermline, with nine, featured highest on the list.

North East Lib Dem MSP Alison McInnes said more needs to be done to meet the Scottish Government response time target of eight minutes.

She said: “Our ambulance service does fantastic, life-saving work in our communities every day.

“But I think ambulance service staff would be amongst the f irst to recognise that the figures for towns and cities across the North East are hugely concerning.

“When people suffer serious health problems like hear t attack or stroke, a rapid response is crucial.

“But on hundreds of occasions during the last year alone it took 20 minutes or longer to reach people in the North East involved in a life-threatening situation.”

Nationally Scottish crews took longer than 20 minutes to respond to lifethreatening call-outs on almost 2,700 occasions last year.