A MOBILE medical unit could soon be giving first aid to late-night revellers in Glasgow.
Council officials have been given the go-ahead to begin discussions with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to explore the possibility of a unit being deployed in the city centre.
Despite concerns over cost, it is believed on-the-spot treatment for pub and nightclub customers who have been injured would free up resources in Glasgow's casualty units, which are notoriously hard-pressed at weekends.
The unit could also 'baby-sit' drunks. It would also require police officers to be on hand as some of those requiring treatment may have been involved in violent incidents.
So far tentative discussions have been held between representatives of Strathclyde Police and the ambulance service.
And although it is likely that, should the idea be progressed, it will be a mobile unit, the city council is also looking at the option of using vacant shops or offices.
The plans, announced yesterday, are part of Glasgow's Nite Zone scheme, which over the past year has been trying to reduce injury and attacks in the city centre, as well as dispersing revellers as quickly as possible. A similar unit already operates in Cardiff. There, ambulance crews have operated a designated city centre response vehicle since last December. It also has a multiagency first aid treatment centre at the Millennium Stadium.
At yesterday's meeting of the Nite Zone stakeholders, including the city council, Safer City Centre Initiative, health board, police, First Bus and GlasgowTaxis, deputy city council leader Jim Coleman said he wanted the plan to move ahead.
The deputy city council leader said: "This would be a very useful addition to the Nite Zone. Nowwhat we need to do is commence discussions on the principle at the top level with the health board.
"Of course there is a cost issue. It will be expensive. But it will free up other resources."
The meeting also marked the return to public life of Eddie Tobin, the Scottish Executive adviser and licensed trade expert shot on his doorstep by an as yet unknown gunman in October. Mr Tobin said such a unit could throw up insurance issues.
Mr Coleman replied: "The staff would need to be professional and, as I said, this could be expensive. It may also require police officers to be there or based nearby."
It was also confirmed yesterday that 24 temporary public toilets would be erected in the city centre from next weekend through until at least midJanuary.
Three units will be deployed around Central Station while a further three will be located around Sauchiehall Street. Unlike French-style "pissoirs" they will have doors but the user is visible to passers-by, meaning it cannot be used for other purposes.
According to former police inspector Willie Caie, who now leads the Nite Zone scheme, said the units would be delivered at around 10pm to accommodate pub customers and would remain until at least 5am for late night clubbers. They would then be collected and returned.
Mr Caie also said he was investigating getting toilets for women, but said talks with Network Rail about opening up Central Station toilets had been unsuccessful.
He said: "Several other large cities have such facilities and there's no doubt they will be popular. The issue will be keeping them in place after the eight-week period.
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