HSC president puts pressure on Aurigny over Alderney
GUERNSEY's Health president is demanding urgent changes to Aurigny's Alderney service following concerns about its impact on patient and staff transport.
Health & Social Care president Heidi Soulsby wrote to Aurigny chairman Andrew Haining and circulated the letter to Policy & Resources president Gavin St Pier and Deputy Charles Parkinson, president of the States' Trading Supervisory Board, which oversees Aurigny.
Following that she and senior civil servants had a meeting with Mr Haining and his senior staff.
'We had what I would describe as a robust conversation where I reiterated our concerns over the service,' said Deputy Soulsby.
She said that new lines of communication were agreed, enabling HSC to make appropriate contingencies should an aircraft not be available.
'We emphasised the importance of getting a contract for the medevac service sorted as soon as possible to give certainty to ourselves, our health and social care partners and the people of Alderney.'
Her letter and the subsequent meeting followed two incidents in a week recently when all three Dorniers were grounded, while only two were available on other days.
Two Alderney patients had to go by boat for chemotherapy and others found flights to consultant appointments cancelled repeatedly.
