Driver banned after tyre row
Doctors stage boycott after they are told to stop wearing their own higher grade PPE
A driver hurled abuse at a woman who pointed out that he had a flat tyre – then almost crashed into an ambulance.
When police officers caught up with Ian Smith, they found him under the influence.
Smith, 47, formerly of Linwood Terrace, Hamilton, was fined £520 and banned from driving for 29 months.
He admitted threatening or abusive behaviour, dangerous driving and being unfit to drive through drink or drugs.
An allegation of cannabis possession was dropped.
Hamilton Sheriff Court heard Smith confronted a female driver outside the SSPCA building in Bothwell Road, Hamilton, on September 14.
Shaun Alexander, prosecuting, said the woman noticed he had a flat tyre, but Smith was abrupt with her and drove off at speed.
The fiscal stated: “She shouted at him to slow down as she had a young child in her car.
“Smith stopped and shouted back ‘Speak to me like that again and I’ll break your f ****** jaw.’
“The witness told him she was going to contact the police, but Smith continued to shout and swear.”
A short time later, about 6pm, Smith’s car was seen weaving between lanes on the A723 between Hamilton and Motherwell.
He was doing just 25 miles an hour, well below the 70mph speed limit.
Other drivers had to swerve to avoid hitting him and he “narrowly missed” an ambulance.
Mr Alexander added: “Smith’s vehicle struck a traffic island, jolted in the air and travelled another 50 yards before stopping because of the puncture.
“When police spoke to him he was slurring his words.”
Defence agent Margaret Chalmers said Smith had been the victim of a serious assault and was on medication.
He had no recollection of the incidents. The lawyer added: “After the assault he moved to homeless accommodation. In his own words, he went off the rails for a time.”
Members of the public are being asked to donate much-needed items to the Scottish SPCA’S rescue and rehoming centre in Hamilton.
Blankets and specific types of dog and puppy food can be bought from the centre’s Amazon wishlist or via any other online retailer offering direct delivery to the centre.
Centre manager Gillian Boyle said:“we are currently in need of some sturdy blankets for the animals at the centre, like Karla and David the lurchers who love to keep warm and cosy at night.
“These siblings are the best of friends and love playing with their toys all day long, and then curling up in their blankets.
“We are specifically in need of blankets at the moment, not sheets and towels.
“Unfortunately we can’t accept duvets or pillows because some of our residents like to chew and they are easy to destroy.
“Although the centre has been closed to the public during lockdown due to coronavirus restrictions, our staff continue to care for the animals as normal and we are short on supplies.
“We are also in desperate need of Chappie dog food, and Autarky hypoallergenic dog and puppy food, to feed some of our hungry pups. These can also be found on our Amazon wishlist.
“A number of the dogs in our care are on hypoallergenic diets, and would be so thankful for this donation.
“If anyone can help with any of these items, we would appreciate anything that people can spare.”
Blankets and food can be dropped in to the Scottish SPCA Lanarkshire Animal Rescue and Rehoming Centre on Bothwell Road, Hamilton, ML3 0SB if members of the public live within the local authority area. Alternatively, items can be ordered via any retailer offering online delivery or purchased from the centre’s Amazon wishlist: http://amzn.to/2mavjmr
A group of doctors are turning down shifts at a Covid-19 treatment hub in Hamilton after they were told to stop wearing higher-grade PPE.
Seven GPS will no longer volunteer to work at the Acute Respiratory Illness Centre (ARIC) in Douglas Street after NHS Lanarkshire told them they could no longer bring their own face masks.
They had previously been allowed to wear FFP3 masks – respirator masks which protect by filtering out tiny virus particles from the air – which they bought themselves.
However, the health board has told GPS they have to wear surgical masks like nurses who assess patients for Covid-19 symptoms at the centre.
Dr Lynn Duff, one of the GPS who stopped working there over the row, told medical magazine Pulse: “Some nursing staff were getting frustrated by the fact that GPS were feeling it necessary to wear FPP3 masks.
“Then they reported to their seniors that they felt unsafe in their surgical masks, so the board then raised this.
“The decision was that GPS would no longer be entitled to bring their own, and they could only use surgical masks.
”We have always argued that everybody should be in FFP3. The only thing we can do is bring it for ourselves.
“Rather than bringing up standards to what is more broadly understood as the acceptable and required level of PPE, they brought everybody down to the lowest common denominator.”
Just last month the Advertiser told how the centre, that’s providing Covid care in the community in Lanarkshire, had marked a significant milestone, having seen 10,000 patients in 12 months.
Open 24/7, the ARIC is staffed by clinicians including GPS, a range of nursing staff and nurse practitioners and clinical support workers as well as a small team of doctors in training.
The centre handles patients with confirmed or potential Covid-19 in a bid to reduce the number of people going to GP surgeries and A&E.
They’re seeing face-to-face around 35-50 patients a day, mostly people who are not getting better after self-care at home or whose Covid symptoms are worsening.
Dr Mike Coates, NHS Lanarkshire’s clinical lead for the ARIC, said: “We’ve seen well over 10,000 patients since the ARIC was set up almost a year ago.
“As a clinician seeing dozens of patients face-to-face each day, I have never felt unsafe or compromised with the level of PPE provided.”
Dr Sharon Russell, associate medical director of South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnership, said: “NHS Lanarkshire is focused on providing safe methods of working, including providing personal protective equipment (PPE), and safeguarding the welfare of all our staff in line with national guidance.
“We have plentiful supplies of appropriate PPE and we are asking those who work within the ARIC to use the nationally approved PPE provided.
“Within the Acute Respiratory Illness Centre, clinicians are all offered the opportunity to be face fit tested for FFP3 to ensure they have the appropriate level of protection for specific procedures such as CPR.
“Appropriate use of PPE is just one measure we take to ensure the safety of staff and patients. All recommended infection prevention and control measures are in place such as physical distancing, ventilation, patient selection and flow.
“The safety of our staff and patients is of paramount importance and we are more than happy to speak to any GPS who have any concerns regarding use of PPE being a barrier to working at the ARIC.
“The centre was set up in response to the pandemic last year as a way of seeing patients with confirmed or potential Covid in a safe environment.
“It has just passed a significant milestone, having seen well over 10,000 patients in 12 months.
“We have a fantastic team of dedicated staff, including GPS, a range of nursing staff and nurse practitioners and clinical support workers as well as a small team of doctors in training.”