 Helicopters will be used on some Scottish islands |
Scotland's air ambulance service is being cut from four planes to two. Ambulance service chiefs say they are introducing better and faster aircraft, but island communities fear they will suffer as a result of the changes.
On some islands the new planes will be too big to fly into smaller airstrips and a helicopter based in Inverness will be used instead.
Under the proposals, the emergency centre would also switch from Dundee to the south of England.
English company Gama Aviation has been awarded the new contract, which is due to begin in 2006.
Response times
Four fixed-wing planes currently stationed around the country will be replaced by two aircraft.
The ambulance service says the new planes are of a much higher specification, but some people in island communities are concerned about the small airstrips being unable to cope.
The service insists response times will be much the same with the use of a helicopter.
Scottish Ambulance Service chief executive Adrian Lucas said: "We've taken a decision which is a major step forward in patient care.
"We're able to offer a faster, better and much safer service for patients and our staff."
Although the despatch desk in Dundee would close, control of the aircraft would still rest with ambulance staff in Scotland.
However, Orkney Council said it had "huge concerns" over the scale of the changes.
Council convener Stephen Hagan told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme: "The main concern is the proposal to lose our locally-based island air ambulance.
 There are fears the service from Inverness may affect rural areas |
"This is a long-standing service in which the people of Orkney have a lot of confidence because it is provided locally by pilots who have years of experience flying out to the isles.
"Now under the new proposal, we're going to lose the locally-based aircraft."
Mr Hagan said he did not understand why the Scottish Ambulance Service said the new aircraft could provide a faster service.
"An aircraft taking off from Inverness will take about 50 minutes to one of the outer isles in Orkney," he added.
"Whereas, we have an islander aircraft which in a real emergency can obviously get to an island much quicker with a 12-minute flying time."
Winter trial
Mr Hagan said the council would be happy with a winter trial period to gauge the service's efficiency.
The Scottish Executive insisted the new air ambulances were faster than the ones they were replacing and crews and paramedics would be on standby 24 hours a day.
"The new aircraft will also provide greater comfort for patients and infection control can be implemented more effectively," a spokeswoman said.
She said the new contract would be closely monitored by the ambulance service and added: "If the new contract is not performing as well as at present, the service accepts that it will have to address this."
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This is a long-standing service in which the people of Orkney have a lot of confidence 
