Duchess backs rural life-saving charity
THE DUCHESS of Argyll has shown her support for a rural emergency response charity following a presentation at Inveraray Castle.
The Duchess presented Dr Kate MacGregor of Taynuilt Medical Practice with a Sandpiper Bag of lifesaving equipment on Saturday April 10 at Inveraray Castle.
Dr MacGregor was announced as the latest British Association for Immediate Care (BASICS) responder.
In rural areas such as Argyll, responders act as volunteers when off duty, providing critical first aid and saving lives.
BASICS responders are equipped with Sandpiper bags which contain all the necessary equipment reARGYLL quired in an emergency. Working in conjunction with the Scottish Ambulance Service, responders are located and dispatched as soon as the emergency call comes in.
This approach results in more patients being treated within 60 minutes following medical trauma or accident, during which there is the highest likelihood that quick medical treatment will prevent death.
Sandpiper trustee Penny Dickson commented: ‘This was a very special occasion as it followed directly from a generous offer to the Sandpiper Trust from the Duchess of Argyll to promote its work at the Best of the West Festival in 2017.
‘Dr MacGregor was prompted to volunteer and train as a BASICS responder as a result of attending the festival and her equipment was financed directly by funds raised at last year’s event.’
The Sandpiper Trust has now supplied more than 1,000 Sandpiper bags to volunteer doctors, nurses and paramedics in rural areas of Scotland.
Each individual bag costs more than £1,000, but to appoint a fully equipped responder to the network can cost £4,000.
Additional items required include defibrillators, tracking devices linked to the ambulance service and protective clothing to ensure responder safety. For more information on the Sandpiper Trust, go to www.sandpiper trust.org.