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Alderney's General Services Committee can't be faulted for its determination to retain - or possibly regain - public confidence in its ability to steer the island's ambulance service into a period of stability after several challenging years marked by critical reviews, staff shortages and political disagreements.
The Committee recently announced a package of measures to bolster the ambulance service. It includes an increase in spending of around 70% per year, advertising for two paramedics to replace the one paramedic who was forced to carry a huge burden for far too long before leaving his post and, in the meantime, calling in professional support from St. John in Guernsey.
These changes all follow a critical review of the service carried out by the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE). While difficult reading for anyone responsible for or relying on Alderney's ambulance service, that review could yet pave the way for important improvements to make the service as safe and secure as can be expected for a population of around 2,000.
So who triggered this key review?
Pictured: Alderney's ambulance service received a critical review last year. While the findings of the review may not be disputed, details about who prompted the review certainly are.
Express has obtained a letter written by the man who was then and for so long the service's only paramedic - Clinical Support Officer Al McLean - to States' Chief Executive Kath Jones.
Mr McLean's letter was dated 15 March 2021.
He concluded it by writing: “I would be grateful if an urgent review of ambulance service provision could be convened based on the content within this paper.”
Pictured: An extract of Mr McLean’s letter of 15 March 2021.
However, a statement issued by the General Services Committee on 25 January this year - Tuesday of last week - claimed that its Chairman, politician Boyd Kelly, led the charge for a review of the service.
The Committee stated: "In March 2021, the current General Services Committee, under its new Chairman, Boyd Kelly, raised concerns expressed by the service with the newly-appointed Chief Executive, resulting in the request to commission the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives for an independent report, following which all recommendations have been accepted and initiatives agreed."
Through an anonymous, reliable source, Express understands that requests for a review were not seriously actioned until May 2021 after a second letter was written to the Chief Executive requesting urgent enquiries into the problems facing the ambulance service.
Express asked the General Services Committee: “Was it Boyd Kelly or Al McLean who raised the need for an urgent review with the Chief Executive?”
Express also asked for clarification on the chain of events, confirmation that a second letter was received and a timeline indicating how soon the review was set up after Mr McLean's letter was received.
The States of Alderney - through a spokesperson - provided this response: “At the moment, we are focusing on making sure we have sufficient cover in the immediate future, into next month and through to the summer, while we design and implement a sustainable service for the long term.
"We are not in a position to discuss the fine detail through the media and we are fully engaged in trying to resolve the issues for the benefit of the community. This is our primary concern. As soon as we have further information about the way forward, we will announce it.”
Pictured: Boyd Kelly, the Chairman of the General Services Committee.
Further reading: The story so far
Al McLean handed in his notice after several years of difficulties for the service, including the publication of two independent reports that raised multiple safety concerns with the current ambulance service framework.
The most recent development in the story is that the St. John Emergency Ambulance Service in Guernsey has deployed a paramedic and Emergency Medical Technician to provide temporary cover in Alderney.
"Guernsey-based clinicians will be stationed in Alderney on a four-week rota during the month of February and will be on call and available to respond to medical emergencies around the clock," said St. John.
"This short-term arrangement is part of an existing agreement whereby St. John Ambulance Guernsey covers periods of annual leave or when the Alderney paramedic is unavailable. It follows a request from the States of Alderney last week."
Pictured: Alderney’s ambulance service was combined with the fire and rescue service in June last year.
The Island Medical Centre recently took the unusual step of publicly backing Mr McLean and criticising what it perceived as failures of leadership and governance which led up to Mr McLean's resignation.
Around the same time, the General Services Committee was seeking publicly to “set the record straight” about the independent review into the ambulance service commissioned last year.
The Committee also announced that several UK paramedics had expressed an interest in being seconded to the island to support the service.
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