Air ambulance forced away from helipad due to barbecue

An air ambulance carrying a patient was unable to land at Lorn and Islands District General Hospital, in Oban, Argyll, due to a BBQ being held at the helipad.

STV reported that the pilots flying the helicopter judged the barbecue by off-duty junior doctors around 50 yards from the helipad to be a "potential hazard" and instead flew to Oban Airport where they were scheduled to refuel.

The patient was then transferred from the airport to the hospital by road ambulance.



NHS Highland said that steps had been taken to ensure such an incident does not occur again.

A health spokesman stated: "An air ambulance helicopter on a routine non-emergency medical transfer from Mull was unable to land at Lorn and Islands hospital due to a potential hazard near the helipad.