A NEW emergency response vehicle is already helping save more lives in Glasgow.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has added a new vehicle to its Emergency Medical Retrieval Service for the most serious accidents.
The 4x4 will give the health board another option for emergencies close to Glasgow which would normally be attended by helicopter.
The service allows consultants to work with Scottish Ambulance Service paramedics to stabilise patients with life-threatening injuries before they get to hospital.
The Skoda Scout will allow medics to respond to any accident, even in the most adverse weather conditions.
It has already been used to assist paramedics at the scene of a serious road accident.
Medics were able to use advanced onboard equip-ment on a patient to prevent a serious life-threatening haemorrhage.
The vehicle has been fitted with full emergency driving systems, high visibility markings, blue lights and siren. It was selected for its size, performance and its four-wheel drive system.
Neil Sinclair, Critical Care Practitioner, EMRS said: "The vehicle is going to be used by the service as a dedicated response vehicle for responding to pre-hospital emergencies.
"We will be supporting the Scottish Ambulance Service paramedics at the most serious incidents, allowing for consultant-led critical care at the roadside.
"We have already been out to several pre-hospital jobs already since delivery of the car, one of which was to assist the Scottish Ambulance Service paramedics at the scene of a road accident.
"In this particular incident the team were able to use advanced equipment to prevent a serious haemorrhage from the patient's leg and administer stronger analgesia to the patient.
"This combination of EMRS and SAS working together in this case greatly increased the comfort of the patient and reduced the chance of serious life threatening haemorrhage."
caroline.wilson@ eveningtimes.co.uk