A FRONT LINE CHANGED: This was my first Book - a Memoir of my work in Front Line Care during my employment in the Scottish Ambulance Service, working in Scotland's Capital City, Edinburgh. 

It tells the Story of an ever-evolving  Front Medical Service, during a turbulent period in UK Emergency Health Provision.

A period where ordinary Front Line Staff were expected to deal with the most traumatic situations, in a service that was starved of government funding. It gives the reader an insight into the early service around the eighties and how we coped during that period of unrest. Working with my trusty colleague Larry this book describes some of the challenges that we were presented with. It is written with dark humour, that only Front Line Staff can fully understand.



As described by Yanina who helped me to proof this book:

Step back in time to a turbulent period that would ultimately shape Scotland’s Front-Line Ambulance rofession.Paramedics and Medical Technicians are in the News every Day now, as they continue to provide one of the worlds excellent Life Saving Service. But how did they get here? This book attempts to answer that question. Have you ever stopped to consider how these Front-Line Staff survive the extensive emotions they have to face every day?

A Front Line Changed reflects on some of the Author's Memories from his 40 years’ Service in Edinburgh. He shares this Personal Journey from early Service days as the Story accelerates into the tragic reality he encounters in his chosen Profession. Working with his trusty Colleague through to his retirement. Describing his much-valued free time and later an insight into to his own Family tragedy.



This Book is filled with honesty and emotion and a dash of black humour where needed, this is a real account one man’s experience. A must for those Medics who are interested in the History of the early Service from 1980.He doesn’t hold back on his thoughts of an inept early managerial approach. Over zealous indeed when staff required support. The limited equipment and industrial problems that would culminate in a six-month strike. Action that would bring the Service to its knees in the turbulent Thatcher era. Working tirelessly in the Public arena, these pioneers of the early Service would ultimately Transform the organization into the recognised Front Line we see today. This Book is filled with moving inspirational stories that will stay with you long after the last page is read. Identifying the emotion, the frustration, the trauma, and the completely bizarre (including the extraordinary case of the dead Cat/ The Human cost of Drugs / A the Hospital Roof Rescue ). There are so many everyday human stories in this Book that it will resonate with the readers from all walks of life…

Chapter 11...Tell us of the early introduction of Medic One...The now completed team then advanced towards our goal. Heading west along the Slainford Road, traffic was light and the journey, fairly straight from then on to our destination. We watched in horror, the leading motorcycle escort struck an elderly man who had without warning strayed into the path of our fast-moving convoy. Larry, being the lead driver was first to witness this tragic spectacle. The police motorcyclist impacted with the unfortunate gentleman causing him to cartwheel up into the air, landing awkwardly on an adjacent pavement. Medic One then became the First-Response Team for this patient who had sadly sustained serious injury. The motorcyclist was uninjured but clearly traumatised. I informed Control and continued alone to the Wester Halls incident; thankfully our initial call was not a life-threatening emergency. Unlike the road traffic accident...

I hope you enjoy the Journey.





The Author and his Colleague receiving long service and Queens Medal at Edinburgh City Chambers.