Ambulance fee a bargain
Friday 27th May 2011, 10:00AM BST.
Marine ambulance Flying Christine III makes about 60 round-trips to Sark each year, at about £2,000 a time.
SARK residents have been asked to take out annual subscriptions to use the St John marine ambulance Flying Christine III or face a £300 charge for using the service.
Ambulance chief Jon Beausire, accompanied by members of his senior management team, addressed a couple of public meetings in Sark last week to outline the planned subscription scheme.
Mr Beausire disclosed that on average the marine ambulance service is called to Sark about 60 times a year and each round trip costs in the region of £2,000. However, under the new scheme Sark residents would pay £88 a year for a single person’s subscription and £132 for a family – the latter to include dependent children. Quotations for corporate membership for company employees will also be available on request.
Although the road ambulance service receives an annual grant from the Guernsey States, funding for the Flying Christine III is met entirely from donations and bequests and it doesn’t take a mathematical genius to work out that even if all Sark residents join the subscription scheme – and everyone I’ve spoken to agrees that as many as possible should – this small island is getting an extremely good deal.
The annual subscription scheme starts at the beginning of July and it will cover the use of both marine and road ambulance services.
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Because of its relatively small population, when it comes to competitive sport Sark is always long on enthusiasm but often a little short on skill, so you can imagine the pleasure it gives me to report that Sark Nippers – a team of youngsters from Sark School – won a Guernsey hockey tournament last week.
Ten teams divided into two leagues competed and Sark won its league by beating Brookes Bashers 1-0 in their last game. They then went on to win the tournament by beating Vale – the winners of the other league – 3-1 in the final.
The youngsters had been coached in Sark by Pat Cunneen and Matt Stokes and Becky Hubbard from Guernsey Ladies came over to supplement the programme and gave them an hour’s coaching immediately before their first match.
Those who accompanied the team paid tribute to the youngsters’ excellent teamwork and incredible determination as well as their general behaviour and great team spirit – something of which they can be extremely proud.
Pat told me: ‘I was so impressed with the players’ tenacity in the final – there was no way they were going to lose. I am immensely proud of not just the outcome but the manner in which the Nippers conducted themselves throughout the whole day.’
Her comments confirm what most people here think of Sark children – their school and island are indeed immensely proud of them and, I might add, of the adults who give of their time in support of them.
Athleticism of a different kind also featured last weekend when Sark hosted its part in the Bailiwick Challenge by walking close on 70 miles around Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, Herm and Brecqhou.
After doing their bit around this small rock, the walkers were given lunch at the Aval de Creux Hotel and presented with a cheque for £3,000 by Sark Estate Management. Given that half the money they raise will go to St John Ambulance and Rescue, it rounded off what hopefully will have been a successful few days for that service as it celebrates its 75th anniversary.
* The email address for comment is fallesark@sark.net
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Whilst the ambulance boat is worthy and useful, I think that Sark needs an air evacuation emergency scheme. I propose that it would perfectly in keeping with 16th century tradition if a very large catapult was constructed on Eperquerie Common, and that Kevin – who so clearly has nothing but the best interests of Sark at heart – should volunteer for the test launch – and possibly – flight..? Let’s hope he doesn’t bump into a stray helicopter en route…
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The bore above has nothing worthy or constructive to say. As usually the case. Yet desperately resorts to creating problems where they don’t exist. I don’t wish you to see this as an invitation to open debate Larky because you are not worthy of my time. Sark does not need people like you. Troublemakers meddling because they have little else in their dull lives to occupy themselves with.
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@Larky..
FFS!! why do you feel the need to stir and try to have a go every bloney week? there’s no need for it. had there been any relevance to what was written in the article then your comments may have been acceptable.However they are not, are unnecessary and, frankly, make you appear to be some sort of attention seeking child.
correct me if i am wrong but this article dealt with the Christine, junior hockey and charity walking. Uless SEM donating money to charity upsets you then i cannot fathom why you wrote what you did!
Your comments annoyed me enough to write this…and i’ve been tempted to comment more than once in the last while .. generally on some political debate, but you have infuriated me so much that my first ever post here is to tell a little boy to grow up.
like my dear old Dad used to say….’Shut up’!
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Larky – Just a thought from an outsider -it is obvious that you have a lot of time on your hands so I assume you are retired, or perhaps too rich to have to work ! Surely there are better ways to serve your community other than constantly insulting those who seem to have the needs of Sark uppermost in their minds. Obviously, you can criticise anything and anyone you like but try to do it in a nicer way,
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Robbie-If you find Larky a little abrasive and not nice, try reading the Sark Newsletter which is published each week, and has been published ad. nauseum for the past 4 years. You can Google it, and maybe you will find out just a little more of what many of the Islanders have to put up with. Had Sark not been a 0% Tax Haven there would not have been 1 iota of interest taken in Sark by others.
The Flying Christine 111 is great and has a fully qualified medical crew, which is a tremendous bonus, much better than a helicoptor that would not have any medical crew available.
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Wasp
Margaret Le Page
Wrong.
Get your facts straight before making such bold statements in future.
The helicopter personnel are fully trained in A + E. The equipment is as comprehensive as that found on the Flying Christine. The skills are as up to date & to the same standard.
The comparisons are massive. Opposite to your beliefs. Not just in overall comfort & safety but in scenarios where every precious second counts.
Meningitis is a good case study. Six minutes in the helicopter versus an hour & thirty minutes, on a good day, by sea. Longer yet in bad weather. The difference is that of life & death.
It would be nice to think the Guernsey authorities would accommodate the offer by installing a helly pad at the PEH so transport times are kept to the bare minimum.
Everybody is exceptionally grateful for this. Apart from a handful that are scared the service will garner support.
Beaumont is basically saying Royal visitors & VIP guests can fly to Sark in fine health but islanders won’t be allowed the same treatment even when their life depends on it.
It will be a matter of time, not long at all either, before common sense wins the day.
Health before petty ignorance & stubbornness.
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Moi “abrasive”?! “Not nice” ?!?
Shurely not… that (uncontested) crown belongs to the editor of the Sark newsletter.
My point has always been that Sark needs a better and more varied future than one spent in the hospitality industry as cleaners and clerks, where wages are inevitably going to be set by comparison with migrant workers.
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“Paul” Who are you exactly?
I am Sprung so to speak. But No Worries.
Many thanks for sharing that knowledge, always useful. Just a couple of questions for now: Where will the helicoptor personnel be based, Sark or Brechou?
Will they be on permanent standby? Who will pay for the very high salary expected in their capacity? Will they receive a bonus for each call out, which according to the Flying Christine 111 averages approx. 60 times per year?
Last but not least: How on earth do you know exactly what my beliefs are?
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Margaret Le Page
They are obviously based on Brecqhou.
Beaumont won’t allow them to land on Sark at this present time. That is common knowledge.
The response time from Brecqhou to Sark to Guernsey is roughly eight minutes. They will indeed be on 24/7 all year round cover.
The costs have already been agreed to be covered by the brothers. Purely because they value life before everything else.
The financial arrangements are neither here nor there. The service will be offered as & when it is needed without exception.
Who, other than Beaumont & a few of his close followers, could possibly have a problem with such an arrangement?
Deep down I don’t believe they have a problem either. It is fear of the support such a service would garner towards the “other side” that is stopping the offer being received as it had been intentioned.
The flip side of the coin is a lot uglier when a young life is lost through an illness where timing is crucial to the outcome.
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“Paul”?
Thank you for your answers to some of my queries.
However in what capacity are you able to be so informative on this subject?
1 more question, surely there would be need for 2 fully qualified crews as, as far as I know there is no-one who would be allowed on standby for 24 hours per day seven days a week let alone 365 days per annum?
Being a bit of a cynic these days I have yet to see such a generous offer without any strings attached and there is the nub. One does not get something for nothing.
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Margaret Le Page
My capacity is neither here nor there as far as you or anybody else is concerned.
You are correct there is need for two fully qualified crew. This arrangement is currently in place.
The offer is & always has been unconditional with no strings attached.
Guernsey has gladly accepted the services on numerous occasions. It is a shame Beaumont is too proud to see it for what it is. A generous life saving gift that does not come along very often in life.
If the gift of being fortunate enough to save lives & doing so is not reward enough then I don’t know what is?
There is no agenda. Just compassion.
Beaumont is losing lots of support with his uncaring cold hard hearted attitude toward policies that neither make sense nor have the interests of the people he claims to represent at heart.
An unfortunate avoidable event will see the little support he does hold reduced to very little when such an scenario unfolds. It will be a matter of when. Not if.
Arguably, such an event has taken place recently.
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The Sark doctor should have the option to be able to call on the helicopter if needed. 9 times out of 10 I’m sure he would use the flying Christine.
This service has been offered no strings attached, but if it was ever used, I’m sure it would be plastered over the Sark Newsletter. That however is a small price to pay if it saves a life.
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“Purely because they value life before everything else.”
Oh FFS, pass the sick bag.
This is obviously the thin of a commercial wedge. The ability to assure the rich and famous that they can be ferried to and from SEM hotels in choppers will massively increase the appeal of the destination.
All some footballer and his WAG will need to do is complain of eating a dodgy oyster, and in will swoop international rescue…
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John
I agree with you. A sensible compromise should allow the doctor discretion if it is in the patient’s best interests.
I’m surprised Beaumont is legally empowered to compromise lives in such an uncaring way.
I’m equally surprised the doctor allows his professional skills to be questioned & needlessly limited by a man that knows nothing about best practice.
Things will change once an avoidable fatality has been experienced. Where is the sense in that?
Larky
You bore me. What part of “in an emergency situation” is too difficult for you to comprehend?
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I do have family in Sark all but a few of them left now , yes i do like the way of life over there and agree subs to the flying christine makes sense but would much prefur to have family alive for the sake of a helicopter picking them up in over here or mainland asap it would cost a stupid for them to set up and insure themself for ,let the Sarkies make there own choice there not silly they manage to survive let them decide.
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I agree with “Larkys” 1st 2 statements in both of his comments.
As for valueing life above all other, is that why they have condoned 1 current resident (close friend of K. Delaney) of Sark and promoted him as a quote “Safe pair of Hands” for the future of Sark? The irony of this one really does take the cake.
This knowledge I have now, after much research will stay with me for many years to come.
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One of the real dangers from a campaign of abusive character assassination is that attitudes get so deeply entrenched that any opportunity for calm debate is lost. Every topic becomes a hostage to the extremism, and there is no scope for rational discussion.
If SEM wanted to do something really impressive for the WHOLE of Sark and its unique society, then how about stumping up the £6m or so to get power and communications cables over from Guernsey, and thereby provide a basis for 21st century industries with low impact on the unique environment, in addition to the very seasonal hospitality industry?
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Larky
Then you’d conveniently be ranting about how they control the power & communication supplies as well as the hospitality side of things.
You are the sort that will never be happy.
There are plans to harness tidal energy in the not too distant future. That would require a great deal of cooperation which is thin on the ground at present.
The communications mast is ugly & sticks out like a sore thumb in otherwise beautiful surroundings.
No doubt a better solution could be worked out for that too.
The current powers-that-be are frantically monopolising all & sundry regardless of whether it makes sense to do so or not.
Much of what many of them do is ill thought out & unworkable once time has shown them the error of their ways & allowed others the opportunity to digest their actions.
The policy makers are contradicting themselves so frequently it is no wonder they choose to carry out their plans secretively behind closed doors.
Reasonable questions are being asked. Answers don’t follow.
There is nothing new or democratic about that though.
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@Paul
With reference to your 3rd last comment and having just read latest Sark political news? et al. SNL of which the last pages are so contradictory I got a chuckle. I do ask myself just how dark, murky and tatty can your friend K. Delaney become in his weekly tiresome jottings?
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@Paul
You should have deduced by now that I am a very happy person with a gloriously sunny disposition when the debate moves into useful areas and away from character assassination.
If SEM ponied up for cabling power and comms they would of course be entitled to get payback – which will arrive a lot quicker even based on SEM’s own usage – than any other ~£6m invested so far.
Sadly, unless a redundant double cable solution was installed there would probably still be a need for backup, especially given the tricky sea floor topography and tides. The existing diesel plant would therefore effectively be a “UPS”, although maybe relatively small dish satellite communication links could replace the grim tower. The cellular antenna functions could probably be nicely disguised at the windmill.
The sad thing about the relentless SNL campaign is that there must be plenty of scope for cooperation and peaceful coexistence within a small community like Sark. Indeed how does anyone imagine Sark survived 450 years? But can you imagine anyone wanting to attempt any sort of rapproachment or negotiation, and risk being exposed and pilloried in the next chip wrapper?
And please give the old “democracy” chestnut a rest. It’s refreshing to note that Sark is a proper delegate democracy.
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