For about 50 years, Alston Moor has had an Agency Ambulance stationed in Alston. It was set up by the County Council (who recognised the geographical challenges), and the vehicle was provide by the Ambulance Service. It has been a crucial service for Alston Moor, provided for the last 40 years or so by Moredun Garage. And thank you, thank you Moredun for such a superb job over all these years. How
ever.....
The structures have all changed, and the Care Quality Commission now has requirements for registration which make it difficult (if not impossible) for our service to be registered. Therefore, the North West Ambulance Service are proposing to close the current service, and replace it with a group of “Community First Responders”, unpaid volunteers able to attend a very limited range of urgent calls. There have been many meetings trying to negotiate a more appropriate way forward, in which the League of Friends of Alston Hospital have played a key role, and in which our MP, Rory Stewart, has played an active part.
