Scottish Parliament e-Brief
Issue 29, 7th August 2000
SECTION 1 - BUSINESS THIS WEEK
Parliament is in recess
SECTION 2 - NEWS
SUSAN DEACON OPENS GREENOCK AMBULANCE STATION
The Scottish Health Minister, Susan Deacon, officially opened a new £1 million, modern ambulance station in Greenock last Tuesday.
The station, which is placed close to the centre of Greenock, will replace the outdated station and workshop in the town's Murdieston Street.
Speaking at the launch, the Minister said:
"A strong responsive ambulance service is key to an effective NHS. Patients need a good ambulance service as well as effective hospital care. Every year hundreds of Scots receive life saving treatment through the Scottish Ambulance Services emergency service and in addition thousands of patients benefit from access to the patients transport service.
"The Scottish Executive is working with health boards, NHS Trusts and the Ambulance Service to introduce new crew shift and working patterns, provide new radio communications and control systems and invest in more ambulances and front line staff."
The new ambulance station will provide accommodation for 25 emergency staff and 15 non-emergency staff, six accident and emergency vehicles, 12 patient transport vehicles, as well as duty, training, administration, recreation and changing facilities.
The staff and vehicles based at the station will provide emergency and non-emergency services to Greenock, Port Glasgow and the surrounding area.
The former station was poorly located relative for service demands, with poor access to the main routes. The accommodation was also outdated for modern Ambulance Service provision.
CONFERENCE ON MONEY SPINNING IDEAS
Professionals from around the world who turn university research into money spinning new products were welcomed to Scotland on Thursday by Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning, Nicol Stephen.
The Association of University Technology Managers held their conference at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh - the first time they have staged an event outside of the United States.
The 3-day conference featured comparative reviews of new technology growth in Europe, the United States, and Japan. It also allowed university researchers, policy makers and industry leaders to discuss improvements in the how they transfer research into new products and processes.
Speaking at the conference, Mr Stephen said:
"The groundbreaking research and development which is taking place in universities around the world will shape the future.
"New drugs to fight disease, new processes to increase business efficiency and new products to satisfy consumer demand are only some of the exciting prospects emerging from the academic world.
"But good ideas are only useful when they are transferred into practice. That's why it is essential for our universities to make sure their best ones find a commercial outlet.
"Today's conference is a launch pad for universities from Europe, Japan and America to become major players in the 21st century marketplace. By cashing in on their best ideas, universities can reap the benefits of a knowledge windfall.
"The Scottish Executive is committed to continuing this tradition of excellence and has invested heavily in programmes to encourage more commercial activity in universities.
"In January we launched Technology Ventures Scotland to help academic institutions market their ideas for new products and processes.
"This was followed by the launch of the £4 million Scottish Institute for Enterprise, which brought together Glasgow, Strathclyde, Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt and Dundee universities for the purposes of commercialisation.
"A further investment of £500,000 was made in the soon to be completed Glasgow Science Centre, which will provide a forum for our best science and technology.
"Together these projects will ensure that in future, Scotland receives the financial benefits from the products and processes it gives to the world."
SECTION 3 - NOTES ON THIS WEEK’S DEBATES
Parliament is in recess
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