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Crash call-outs' medicine boost





Sheila Friend and Anne MacPhee hand over the latest items of medical equipment to Ian Grover and doctors Mary Anderson, Alastair Michie and Sara Murray last Wednesday afternoon outside Kingussie Medical Practice.
Sheila Friend and Anne MacPhee hand over the latest items of medical equipment to Ian Grover and doctors Mary Anderson, Alastair Michie and Sara Murray last Wednesday afternoon outside Kingussie Medical Practice.

GPS and first-responders attending 999 call-outs in Badenoch will be better equipped in the future thanks to the generosity of local residents.

As a result of their donations the area’s Emergency Medical Equipment Fund has been able to hand over more medical equipment to those often on the scene of accidents and other emergencies.

Kingussie GPs Dr Mary Anderson, Dr Sara Murray and Dr Alistair Michie were presented with a Pulse Oximeter which will be carried in one of the practice’s Emergency Sandpiper Bag.

The doctors said after the hand-over last Wednesday at the practice that its means that those atrending call-outs can monitor or assess patient blood oxygen levels in emergency care situations.

Meanwhile, the Newtonmore First Responders have received a Biosafe Spineboard Immobilisation package, two high visibility rescue vests and two pairs of extraction and rescue gloves.

Ian Grover was presented with the items on behalf of the group, who are highly trained volunteers called upon to attend emergencies.

Their aim is to be on the scene as quickly as possible, often prior to the arrival of the ambulance crew.

They are trained and equipped to deal with an array of emergencies including cardiac arrest, strokes and broken bones from falls.

The group has been operating from Newtonmore for over seven years and are one of the busiest in Scotland with over 50 call-outs per year.

Mr Grover said: “The spinal board package, together with the specialist jackets and the rescue gloves, is a much appreciated addition to our range of equipment. It will help to ensure that we can cater for as many emergency scenarios as possible.”

The responders are controlled by the Scottish Ambulance Service who also maintain and cover the cost of running the vehicle and phones, which are required to enable the control centre in Inverness to dispatch them when a 999 call has been made.

Ms Sheila Friend, spokeswoman for the EMEF, said that the majority of the olunteers are also members of the local fire and rescue service.

She said this meant that they can deal with an emergency professionally, calmly and sympathetically. Much of the medical equipment they use is obtained through donations and from the EMEF.

Ms Friend said that the total cost of the latest equipment purchased was £940 and thanked all those who have contributed.

“This was raised through donations and from the familiar yellow collecting cans found in the club houses of local golf courses, shops, cafés, garages and hotels in Newtonmore, Kincraig and Kingussie,” she said.


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