Vol. 491 No. 3
280 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Health and Children the reason the Midland Health Board has to date failed to implement in full the two professional persons ambulance crew service in its area; if its failure to do so is related to financial stringency; when the board will introduce the ambulance station management grade level in its area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11821/98]
Government policy in relation to the development of the ambulance service is as set out in the report of the review group on the ambulance service. With regard to two person crewing, the report states that each emergency ambulance should be staffed by two trained ambulance personnel with at least one having successfully completed the advanced training programme.
The provision of ambulance services in the Midland Health Board area is the statutory responsibility of the Midland Health Board in the first instance. This year I provided an additional £525,000 to the board for the development of its ambulance service. This is the highest level of funding which has been provided for the board in a single year since the publication of the report of the review group on the ambulance service in 1993 and brings to approximately £1.6 million the total funding made available to the board for this purpose.
It is a matter for the Midland Health Board to identify the priority areas it wishes to develop in relation to the implementation of the review group's recommendations, including the provision of two person crewing and the introduction of the ambulance station management grade.
