Coastguard rescue teams supporting NHS Western Isles

HM Coastguard is providing support to NHS Western Isles as part of the ongoing response to Covid-19.

Coastguard rescue teams in Barra, Lochboisdale, Stornoway and Harris are using coastguard drivers and vehicles to help the NHS with the transportation of completed tests.

Coastguards are supporting by picking up and carrying tests from Barra to the island’s ferry, with the Lochboisdale coastguard rescue team specifically involved in transporting tests by road to the Berneray ferry terminal.

The final part of the journey is completed by either the teams from Harris or Stornoway as they collect samples from the ferry in Leverburgh and carry out the final road transfer to Western Isles Hospital, Stornoway, for laboratory processing.

The journey, in total, is about 140 miles in distance from Barra to Stornoway – including two ferry crossings.

These transfers will take place every weekend until the outbreak in Barra is deemed under control by NHS Western Isles.

This support is to ensure that NHS Western Isles are able to conduct widescale testing at weekends, by quickly processing completed tests and results and reducing further transmission of Covid-19, through NHS Test and Trace and contact tracing.

HM Coastguard is also supporting the vaccination clinic at Stornoway, with the assistance of coastguard rescue officers from the Lewis team.

“We take great pride in supporting our local communities during this challenging period and we will continue to do all that we can to help the NHS,” says Murdo Macaulay, operations area commander for the Western Isles, Skye and Lochaber. “Our volunteers are working really hard to help make what can be quite a difficult logistical challenge, in terms of transporting tests between islands due to distance and infrastructure, far more manageable and done as quickly and efficiently as possible.

“We are committed to working to helping the NHS, as a fellow category one responder, but this support does not affect our capability and availability of our HM Coastguard rescue teams based on the Western Isles to deliver our dedicated search and rescue service and serve our local communities as always.”

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