The islands’ ambulance boat has been granted new funding to help ensure is place on the islands.
The Star of Life has been given ?10,000 by the Zimber Trust. The Zimbers used to lived on the islands and left money for island use.
The medical launch was mainly funded by the West Cornwall Ambulance who paid ?240,000 while the Medical Launch Charity, which was set up by Dr Davies, added another ?30,000. Although the West Cornwall Ambulance paid up front for the ambulance funding to keep it going has to be found from other sources.
The Devon and Cornwall Police Authority have given ?2,000 while the Health Authority have contributed ?6,000.
To add to this both doctors on the islands have given ?3,000 each out of their salaries.
The running of the ambulance is estimated to cost around ?20,000 a year.
Dr Dalton, one of the two GP?s on the Isles of Scilly, told Scilly News “The medical launch is so important for the islands. This winter we haven’t had to cancel a single off island surgery. The new technology means it’s easier for us to get on and off the boat and easier and more comfortable for the patients.”
Tony Smith, the ambulance driver on St Mary’s, says “In the first week of having the boat we responded to five 999 calls and now we get about 2 a week. It is also used for the off island surgeries and the mid wife and health visitor.”
Although there has been some groanings about the colour of the boat it is indisputable that the ambulance boat has become a vital link between St Mary’s and the off islands.