New ambulance provider appointed for Alderney

St John Emergency Ambulance has been appointed to run the service on a permanent basis

A new ambulance provider has been appointed for Alderney.

St John Emergency Ambulance Service has been commissioned by the States of Alderney to run the operation from January.

The announcement comes following a review found in January the previous model was "unsafe" with immediate action needed.

The service will be run as an extension of the Guernsey service and recruitment is due to begin immediately.

It will be paid for by the States of Alderney.

Ian Carter, Chairman of the Policy and Finance Committee in Alderney, said the States was "excited about the future of the ambulance service as we develop a more integrated resilient approach to healthcare services on the island".

He added: "We would like to express our thanks to our current locum provider and our dedicated volunteers who have worked tirelessly to ensure no break in service over the past year."

Guernsey's chief ambulance officer Mark Mapp said: "St John Guernsey has been providing the Emergency Ambulance Service for 85 years, we have supported Alderney for several decades with mutual aid, and now the time is right to extend our assistance and expertise to our sister island.

"By moving the operational oversight, management and clinical governance of AAS to Guernsey, Alderney will benefit from the decades of emergency ambulance experience and national professional links that St John has to offer.

"We look forward to working with the States of Alderney and the local community to deliver a professional ambulance service for the island... and it is hoped that the majority of operations will be underpinned by on-island staff and volunteers."

Follow BBC Guernsey on Twitter and Facebook. Send your story ideas to [e-mail].