SUCCESS FOR NEWCASTLETON AMBULANCE

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 26th Sep 2007

Jim Hume, MSP for the South of Scotland, and Ron Smith, Councillor for Hawick and Hermitage, have today welcomed news from the Scottish Ambulance Service that an ambulance will visit the village on a daily basis.

Jim Hume said:-

“This is good news particularly as the daily visits had stopped with no explanation.

“Cllr Smith and I took the issue up with the Chief Executive of the Ambulance Service who has confirmed that the visits to Newcastleton have been reinstated and will continue twice per shift.

“Clearly more work needs to be done and this is by no means ideal. However, it’s at least a start and it’s important that this progress has been made. I welcome the news from the Service, but together with Councillor Smith I will be pressing for a more substantial service for the village.

“There can be no uncertainty when it comes to healthcare and particularly emergency provision, and residents of Newcastleton have for many months been left anxious as to the state of play.

“Cllr Smith and I will be meeting shortly with the Ambulance Service together with residents to try to progress the matter further.”

Cllr Ron Smith added:-

’This is a welcome development. Liddesdale residents should be able to depend on an efficient service comparable to that available to other Borderers. These more regular routine visits during shifts will ease some worries relating to less urgent calls. Some uncertainty will still continue to exist however over emergency call-out times from Hawick or from Langholm.

“Jim and I will continue to press for stationing of an ambulance in the village. The expansion of walking and cycling tourism in Liddesdale, and specifically the increasing popularity of mountain biking, poses dangers, and the difficulty of summoning help because of inadequate mobile phone coverage, create circumstances in which the shortest interval between call-out and arrival is essential.’’