Doctors' BBQ at hospital in Oban forces air ambulance to be diverted Published duration 5 June 2013

A helicopter carrying a patient to hospital in Argyll had to be diverted because smoke from a doctors' barbecue was blowing across the landing pad.

The incident took place as the patient was being taken to Lorn and Islands Hospital, Oban, at 21:00 on Thursday.

NHS Highland said the helicopter was diverted to Oban airport seven miles away and the patient was driven back.

The health board also confirmed that a patient waiting to be picked up had to be taken to the airport.

A spokesman for NHS Highland said: "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.

"The helicopter flew to nearby Oban Airport where it was already scheduled to take a planned re-fuelling.

"This patient was transferred the short distance to the hospital by road ambulance."

'Potential hazards'

The spokesman said a small number of off-duty junior doctors had been having a barbecue outside their accommodation.

"Their accommodation is about 50 yards from the landing pad. Clearly staff were not aware that this would cause a problem," he said.

"Local managers have spoken to staff to make sure this doesn't happen again.

"More generally we will clarify with Scottish Ambulance about what they consider to be potential hazards.