Thanking the Responders

NHS praise for first response team

Volunteers who act as a first point of contact for emergency medical needs in Highland Perthshire have been praised by NHS Tayside. The health board’s chairman Sandy Watson was in Kinloch Rannoch Medical Practice to meet volunteers from the local Community First Responder scheme and members of the Scottish Ambulance Service. There are currently six ‘responders’ in Kinloch Rannoch and in the three years since the introduction of the scheme the team has answered 23 emergency calls.

Mr Watson said: “NHS Tayside has consistently stated its commitment to supporting First Responders as a supplement to the out-of-hours provision through GPs and the Scottish Ambulance Service.

“I don’t think we say that enough to them at the sharp end of delivery of the responder service, and the main reason I visited Kinloch Rannoch was to thank them face-to-face, recognising their commitment and enthusiasm for what they do – indeed also their courage in signing up for what they do and continuing to do it.”

Mr Watson was joined by Scottish Ambulance Service area service manager Nick Moore, the head of primary care for Perth and Kinross Community Health Partnership Julie Flynn, operational support manager Chris Conroy and community resuscitation development officer Murray McEwan, of the Scottish Ambulance Service.

Perthshire Advertiser