Villagers living in west Stirlingshire have asked for clarity over which hospital patients from Blanefield and Killearn should be taken to by ambulance.
Community representatives say those living in the village would prefer to be transferred to hospitals in Glasgow rather than to Forth Valley Royal Hospital (FVRH) in Larbert.
Strathblane Community Council discussed the issue at their monthly meeting this week and asked for an explanation from ambulance bosses who were in attendance.
The issue is one which has been taken up by the community council for a number of years.
Former community council chair Marian Lever highlighted the matter over a lengthy period until she passed away last month.
Residents in attendance at Monday evening’s meeting said hospitals in Glasgow were closer than FVRH and public transport links to Glasgow were better than to Larbert.
Vice-chair Julie Hutchison said an agreement was previously in place where the Scottish Ambulance Service had agreed to transport patients to hospitals in Glasgow but over a number of years, due to personnel moving on, the agreement had been steadily relaxed.
She said: “It’s nothing against the Scottish Ambulance Service, we appreciate the work that they do. It’s just that for people here it is far more convenient to be taken to hospital in Glasgow, particularly Glasgow Royal Infirmary.
“To get to and from Larbert, if you don’t drive, it’s three buses. One to Balfron, then from Balfron to Stirling and then Stirling to Larbert.”
A spokesperson for the Scottish Ambulance Service said: “In general, patients are conveyed to the nearest emergency department. However, our ambulance crews will also consider a number of other factors: these include the patient’s condition and the specialities available at surrounding hospitals. Our main priority is always to ensure the patient gets the most appropriate health care.”
The community council hopes to re-establish the agreement that would allow patients to choose where they are taken.
