LISTEN: Moray MSP welcomes review of local ambulance response rates
The family of a teenage boy who was killed in a crash on the B9010 near Miltonduff want to know why it took paramedics almost 30-minutes to respond to a 999 call.
The family of a teenage boy who was killed in a crash on the B9010 near Miltonduff want to know why it took paramedics almost 30-minutes to respond to a 999 call.
Elgin Academy pupil, Keiran McKanie, died after being struck by a car whilst he was cycling on his bike earlier this year.
His parents, Sandra and Gordon, met with Health Secretary Shona Robison this week to discuss ambulance response times.
Ms Robison’s now ordered an investigation into ambulance call-outs in Moray.
Local MSP Richard Lochhead’s been speaking to MFR News:
He added: “All our hearts go out to Mr and Mrs McKandie following the untimely loss of their much loved and popular son, Keiran. I commend them for showing determination at this very difficult time to pursue a number of issues to ensure that others can be helped in Keiran's name.
“I arranged the meeting with Health Secretary Shona Robison after being contacted by Mrs McKandie to discuss response times of the emergency services at the time of Keiran's accident.
“Mr and Mrs McKandie wanted to me to take up a number of issues that emerged following the tragedy and the Health Secretary very helpfully agreed to meet my constituents at short notice.
“The meeting was very helpful with Ms Robison pledging to take the concerns seriously.
“As well as agreeing to investigate Mr and Mrs McKandie's concerns over the response of the emergency services, Ms Robison praised their campaign to have defibrillators installed in every police vehicle in Scotland to save lives and offered to work with them on delivering what they rightly view as an important part of Keiran's legacy.
“As well as Mr and Mrs McKandie, other constituents have contacted me in connection with ambulance cover in Moray and I have also arranged a meeting with the Chief Executive of the Scottish Ambulance Service that will take place in Moray in July."
Mr Lochhead will also meet in July with the Chief Executive of the Scottish Ambulance Service to discuss ambulance cover in Moray and response times.
Mr and Mrs McKandie released a statement which said: “Gordon and I would like to thank Richard Lochhead and Shona Robison the health secretary for meeting with us to discuss, and move forward our concerns regarding the response times from the ambulance service, in relation to our beloved son Keiran’s accident.
Ms Robison expressed that she would raise our concerns with the appropriate services investigate appropriately and communicate with us regarding outcomes.
“Ms Robison firmly supported our campaign to install defibrillators into police cars and pledged to help us in the most appropriate route to take this forward as a legacy for Keiran.
“Keiran is and always will be our reason for living and it is unbearable for Keiran not to be part of our lives physically anymore. Keiran is our best friend and only child and the pain of Keiran’s accident will be with us until the day we die, we will not allow him to be forgotten and will strive to ensure he has a legacy which will be carried forward into the future. We will campaign in his name for improvements and change to be implemented to ensure that lives are saved. We appeal to the people of Moray and Scotland to support us with Keiran's legacy.
“If you have donated to Keiran’s fundraiser's, just giving page or personally Gordon and I would like to express our sincere gratitude on behalf of Keiran.”
The Scottish Ambulance Service says its average response time across Grampian is less than 8-minutes, but local crews were tied up with other emergencies on the March 20th.