SNP health chief says sorry to Torphins family forced to give new-born CPR during long ambulance wait

Health Secretary Neil Gray apologised to an Aberdeenshire family who had to fight to save their baby’s life during a traumatic long wait for an ambulance.

The family, from Torphins, performed CPR on the new-born whilst receiving over-the-phone instructions from 999 call handlers hundreds of miles away in Yorkshire.

When crews finally arrived on the scene after around 40 minutes, mum and baby had to be transported in separate vehicles wrapped in blankets because one had no heating.

We reported previously that the family are demanding answers over why it took so long for help to arrive and why the ambulances did not appear to have been sent from the nearest dispatch centre, just seven miles away in Banchory.

Their traumatic ordeal has prompted fresh concerns about ambulance provision across the north and was raised at the Scottish Parliament on Thursday by Aberdeenshire West MSP Alexander Burnett.

He said: “Thankfully both mother and baby are healthy but this is a completely horrifying experience that no family should have to endure.”

SNP minister says sorry

Mr Gray offered an apology to the family during exchanges on Thursday.

He said: “I’m aware of the media reports and obviously my apologies to the family in that case.

“I can understand, as a father, the difficulty that family would have felt and the challenge of going through that process. I recognise that. I understand it.”

But the exchanged prompted wider concerns from Orkney MSP Liam McArthur about the service across rural areas.

He said: “In recent months, I’ve been approached by a number of constituents highlighting examples of what appear to be unnecessary delays in tasking ambulances in Orkney.

“I’m due to meet the chief executive of the ambulance service next month to discuss the issue.

“Would the health secretary support steps to adopt a more tailored approach in island communities to reduce delays in ambulance call-outs wherever possible?”

Mr Gray said he was aware of work under way to take on this kind of approach and offered to meet with Mr McArthur following his discussions with the ambulance service.