Keiran's parents concerned by continuing lack of 999 co-ordination

THE parents of Keiran McKandie have met the Scottish Health Secretary to push for greater co-ordination amongst the emergency services.

Keiran, a devoted mountainbiker, died after colliding with a car near Elgin two years ago.

Since then, his parents Sandra and Gordon McKandie, have campaigned for increased coordination after it was revealed an ambulance took more than half an hour to reach the 16-year-old.

The couple from Mosstowie have also fundraised to fit numerous police cars in the North of Scotland with defibrillators, which cost about £1000 each.

Accompanied by Moray MSP Richard Lochhead, they met health minister Shona Robison at Holyrood to ask for the heart machines to be fitted nationwide, and for police officers to be given training to operate them.

Afterwards the Mackandies commented: "The desire to roll this out across Scotland thus ensuring equity across all geographical areas is paramount and a police force decision is required.

"While the meeting was productive, the ongoing issues regarding co-responding were raised and there are still no definitive timescales agreed.

"The integration of the emergency services to ensure the nearest vehicle is deployed along with personnel and emergency equipment is an action that is required immediately.

"We are not assured at present that what happened to Keiran will not happen again.

"While we fully support the additional resources which includes paramedics, ambulances, a response car and a hospital liaison officer which have been put in place, the key part of co-responding to ensure the appropriate service is deployed has not occurred despite trials being in place and lives being saved.

"The co-responding of the fire brigade which at present is being halted due to union, monetary and political reasons is a fundamental part of ensuring the most appropriate service is deployed.

"This needs to be to addressed immediately so that what happened to Keiran does not happen again.

"We will continue to lobby the government and the emergency services to ensure that change occurs which will form part of Kieran’s Legacy."

Mr Lochhead stated that Mr and Mrs McKandie have achieved a huge amount of progress in taking forward Kieran’s legacy with the support of the local community but were rightly keeping up the pressure for more to be done to help save more lives.

He added: "It was our second meeting with Shona Robison which in itself shows that the campaign is making an impact.

"Ms Robison agreed to take action herself on a number of points but also to speak to fellow ministers regarding proposals to roll out defibrillators and on issues relating to the co-responding of the emergency services to traffic accidents to ensure the nearest service – be it fire or police or ambulance – is called out to assist.

"We also discussed how Mr and Mrs McKandie could perhaps play a greater role in the extending coverage of defibrillators in communities across Scotland as well."