Banking Fines Pay For New Air Ambulance

Banking fines have paid for a new helicopter for Scotland's only charity-funded air ambulance.

A £3.3m grant from a LIBOR fund has upgraded the chopper to a newer model. It can now fly faster and further, at night and in cloud.

In the last 2 years it has been called on 850 times, to incidents ranging from road traffic accidents to emergencies in rural locations.

Shona Robison, the Scottish health minister, said: "Within little more than two years Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance has become an integral part of our vital emergency services, responding to over 850 call outs from the Highlands and Islands to the Borders and providing an invaluable service to the people of Scotland.

"I am particularly impressed by how well the Scottish Ambulance Service and SCAA have worked closely together to ensure that the Charity Air Ambulance delivers safe and effective patient care.I know a lot of hard work has gone into delivering such an excellent service over the past couple of years, from the staff to those carrying out the fundraising efforts. 

"I congratulate SCAA on their outstanding achievements to date and in upgrading their aircraft which will allow them to provide a more enhanced life-saving service to the people of Scotland. This new helicopter will mean that the Charity Air Ambulance can now fly further and faster than ever before. This will help the air ambulance provide an even better service to the people of Scotland who will need it most."

SCAA Chairman John Bullough said: "There is no doubt that this unique service in Scotland has saved many lives and SCAA’s work is impacting on the lives of thousands of people right across the country - either directly with patients or indirectly with relatives, friends and colleagues.

"Two years ago we set out to save lives and get people to hospital quickly. Having been called upon over 850  times we have done exactly that.

"There are few parts of Scotland that are untouched by the work of our helicopter and highly professional crew and we have been pleased to be able to support communities everywhere."