Mountain rescue teams being put under threat

A change to the Health and Social Care Act threatens to put at risk the work of local mountain rescue teams across the country, says Liberal Democrat MP Lisa Smart, who has written to the Minister opposing the change. 

The proposal would remove the current exemption for which organisations that contain healthcare professionals need to register with the CQC, removing the current exemption for temporary sporting and cultural events, for example fell races and mountain bike events.

The Mountain Rescue team have said that should this come into place, they would be force to stop providing support for these events – even though should there be an incident, they would most likely be called out anyway, delaying critical emergency support. 

Lisa Smart, the Lib Dem MP for Hazel Grove constituency, said: “It simply makes no sense that this legislation would stop the Mountain Rescue team from attending events, providing vital services, and fund raising as a result, but that in an emergency they would be called out anyway.

“At a time when we see so much happening that undermines our sense of community, doing more to keep these community events, and enabling local organisations to make them happen is essential.”

As well as writing to the Minister, the MP is working with fellow Lib Dem MP Tim Farron to bring forward an Early Day Motion challenging the change, and has secured a parliamentary debate in a week’s time on the changes. 

Lisa Smart added: “My constituency is the finest in the country, and as well as the beautiful places within it, it’s the people and the sense of community that makes it so. I’m against any legislation that undermines that, and that’s why the Government must think again.”