MSP requests action following air ambulance mistake

An air ambulance flight sent from Aberdeen to Orkney to pick up a sick baby flew instead to Sumburgh Airport.

The incident occurred last Friday after the plane, with an incubator onboard, was intended to head for Kirkwall.

Fortunately, according to the Scottish Ambulance Service, the patient was eventually “transferred safely to hospital in Aberdeen by air”, An investigation is now under way

Orkney MSP Liam McArthur has written to ambulance service chief executive Pauline Howie over the issue, expressing his concern over what happened.

Mr McArthur suggested that such an incident, which the ambulance service described as an “extremely unusual occurrence”, risked damaging public confidence. He stressed the urgency of finding out what went wrong and ensuring it cannot happen again.

Mr McArthur said: “The importance of the air ambulance service to islanders cannot be overstated. All too often it can be the difference between life and death.

“Reports that a flight meant to pick up a patient in Orkney can end up in Shetland is therefore deeply concerning. Fortunately, on this occasion, no harm appears to have come to the young patient involved, but it is imperative that the investigation underway is concluded quickly and any additional safeguards necessary put in place.

“There must be no question of this sort of thing happening again. That is the assurance I have sought and hope to receive from the chief executive of SAS.”