An ambulance station in the north-east’s biggest town is still woefully understaffed two years after a damming report identified the area as being one of the worst covered in Scotland.
In October 2014 Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) chiefs vowed to enhance cover across Peterhead and Fraserburgh after it was revealed paramedics took longer than 20 minutes to respond to more than 80 life-threatening incidents.
And in April last year Peterhead ambulance station was shut down five times after staff shortages left it with no crew cover.
Currently the town’s depot only has one 24-hour ambulance which covers the whole of the north-east.
And in March campaigners heralded a victory as the SAS eventually confirmed a dozen new staff and a new ambulance would be brought in to the Blue Toon.
But now, despite assurances from ambulance chiefs the Press and Journal can reveal that Peterhead’s ambulance station remains understaffed.
One whistleblower – who works inside the SAS – said morale at the town’s station was low and paramedics have lost faith in the management.
They said: “No monies have been released by the finance director of the Scottish Ambulance Service for this new ambulance and there have only been two or three new staff trained.
“However they have been used to replace staff from Peterhead who have recently retired or left the overstretched service.
“So it would probably be fair to say that none of the 12 staff that you were all promised by the service have been employed and Peterhead still only operates with one ambulance.”
The whistleblower warned that it could now be into the new year before the situation is revolved.
Peterhead resident John Brownlee campaigned for increased ambulance provision in the town when he was chairman of the local community council.
“If the ambulances aren’t there then there is the potential for a life-threatening problem,” Mr Brownlee said.
“There was a lot of pressure locally so it is concerning nothing has changed.
“I’m certainly concerned both as a former community councillor and a member of the public that they have promised things and not delivered.”
Banffshire and Buchan Coast MSP Stewart Stevenson was also a prominent voice in the campaign to improve emergency cover in the area.
Last night he said: “The announcement in March this year of an additional ambulance for Peterhead and a commitment from the Scottish Ambulance Service for additional staff resources was very good news indeed and reflected the reality of demand on the service locally.
“While I would have hoped that these additional resources would have been in place by now, I do appreciate that staff training takes time and it is important that this is done thoroughly.”
Mr Stevenson said he understands 12 of 200 new frontline staff hired across the country this year could be deployed in Peterhead which will be “a huge boost locally”.
Last night a spokesman for the ambulance service said: “We anticipate that the extra ambulance for Peterhead will be in place this year, as planned.
“The service is fully committed to recruiting 12 additional ambulance technicians to the Peterhead roster as part of the national initiative to recruit 200 new frontline staff.”
He said that a national recruitment drive is “on track” and six additional staff members have been “identified for deployment” in Peterhead.
“Work is actively ongoing to recruit the remaining additional staff for Peterhead, with potential new candidates currently being processed and some interest from existing qualified staff from other areas,” the spokesman added.
