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New recruits sought for remote emergency response service

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A remote west Highland community is hoping more volunteers can be found to save its emergency response service.

A unique system was put in place to provide emergency cover for West Ardnamurchan in Lochaber as the nearest ambulance is at Strontian, at least an hour’s drive away.

Previously two district nurses had been responding to out-of-hours 999 calls, but locals became concerned when they realised one of them was due to retire in 2012.

The emergency responder pilot was then established by the ambulance service, in partnership with NHS Highland and the Scottish Centre for Telehealth and Telecare.

And a telehealth clinic was set up to provide a direct link to Aberdeen’s Emergency Care Centre so the responders could speak to hospital staff by video link.

The system was intended to be based on a team of six specially-trained emergency responders, but the ambulance service was only able to recruit five.

Three have now left, leaving two working 24/7, and it was feared that the scheme would collapse in the New Year.

However, the ambulance service has now found a nurse who wants to move to the area and it has pledged to provide support for the existing responders.

West Ardnamurchan Community Council chairwoman Rosie Curtis said: “All three of the responders who left did so for good reasons, but it is very worrying for people living here.

“We are hoping that very soon we will move up to three and that more people can be recruited.

“This system is vital for our community. At the moment, we have young families moving back here. If we lose our medical service, people will go the other way.”

An ambulance service spokesman said: “We are fully committed to maintaining the emergency responder model in West Ardnamurchan and are working in partnership with the local community council to find new recruits as a matter of priority.

“We have received an application from a nurse, who wants to move to the area, and will undertake interviews as soon as possible.

“In the meantime, every effort is being made to recruit more team members and provide additional support in the area for the existing responders while this is ongoing.”