‘Grab-and-run’ nurses issued with written warning

NURSES whose “grab-and-run” treatment of an injured elderly cyclist led the Civil Emergency Service Volunteers (CESV 112) to suspend its spending on expensive equipment for ambulances have been issued with a written warning by the Health Ministry.

First-aid training is also to be renewed for nurses working in the Girne area, after minister Filiz Besim met with leaders of the charity, which had said it would not resume its funding of ambulances until crews are “fully trained” in handling casualties.

Dr Besim, who personally headed an investigation into the August 26 incident, thanked CESV 112 for all its efforts and said that the ministry greatly valued its work.

A meeting of CESV leaders on Thursday brought a reiteration of the charity’s determination to stick by its decision not to provide further funds for medical equipment in ambulances until it is “satisfied” with the effectiveness of TRNC emergency services. The charity has been contributing up to 150,000TL a year.

However a statement said it would continue to provide assistance with equipment repairs at health centres and hospitals when requested to do so.

It is also to meet with the Help Those With Cancer Association (Tulips) about funding and is to present 5,000TL to the North Cyprus Cancer Charity Trust (NCCCT) this week, with CESV 112’s Ümit Karanar stressing that the group wished to continue to provide help for the community.

The community group’s financial freeze came after its operations director, Stephen Collard, said he had been “disgusted” by the way the injured cylist was tended to by a nurse who had “no idea” how to deal with a casualty, “let alone one with a possible neck injury”.

Meanwhile CESV 112 announced this week that it had handed over the “Give Blood Save a Life” campaign, which it founded, to the Central Blood Bank.

Launched by the charity last year with government approval and two-year agreements with the Health Ministry, Creditwest Bank and TRNC Telsim, the campaign has already created a database with details of 1,300 potential blood donors.

Additional volunteer donors can register their details with the blood bank by sending a text message. Telsim subscribers can text the name of their nearest health centre and blood group to 7283, while other mobile phone users should send their message to 0542 860 0112.

The hand-over was made during a meeting at the blood bank where Dr Besim drew attention to the importance of the campaign and of collaboration.

“We should not forget that any moment any of us could need blood and the blood donated to us could actually save our life,” she said. “If we support one another, maybe this country could have a more efficient health system.”

Stressing that the need for blood represented “a thin line between life and death,” Fevzi Tanpınar of Telsim said the firm was “very happy” to contribute to the campaign.

Mr Karanar said: “We created this project with no expectations in return but to increase the number of potential blood donors and to improve the chances of finding suitable blood donor matches. We have already seen a lot of volunteers sign up to give blood.”