I thank Deputy Sheehan for raising this matter. I am happy to discuss our emergency medical services and to outline the significant developments which have taken place and continue to take place to further enhance this service. However, first, I wish to pay tribute to all those involved in the emergency medical services who work so hard to provide life saving care in circumstances which can be difficult and often unpleasant.
Government policy on the development of emergency medical services in Ireland is set out in a number of policy documents, notably the report of the review group on the ambulance service which was published in 1993, and Building Healthier Hearts, the Government's cardiovascular health strategy. The report of the review group, which contained wide ranging recommendations, set out an ambitious programme of developments which were needed to align standards in emergency medical care in Ireland with best international practice in this area of medical care. The report, inter alia, addressed the level of cover currently provided by ambulance crews and made recommendations on how improvements might be made.
Significant progress has been made by the Southern Health Board on the implementation of the recommendations of the report of the review group. This progress has been facilitated by special development funding from my Department to the board of in excess of £3 million in recent years. Much of this investment funding has been directed by the board towards improvements, on a phased basis, in the level of duty hours cover in all the board's ambulance stations. The board's service plans continue to address the issue of increasing the level of in-station duty hours cover with a subsequent reduction of on-call hours cover.
Staffing ambulances with personnel specifically trained to provide essential life support in an out-of – hospital setting is in line with widespread international best practice in the provision of pre-hospital care. The introduction of two person crewing of ambulances by emergency medical technicians was a key recommendation of the report of the review group. I am pleased to inform the House that the Southern Health Board was among the first health boards to implement a programme to have all its ambul ances covered by full-time, professionally qualified emergency medical technicians. Moreover, I understand from the board that in excess of 75% of all its emergency medical technician staff have completed the new and expanded EMT training programme.
It is worth mentioning here that responsibility for training programmes for the future development of professional standards in the ambulance service, and in pre-hospital care generally, now rests with the pre-hospital emergency care council. I recently established this council in line with a recommendation of the cardiovascular health strategy "Building Healthier Hearts" and it has replaced the National Ambulance Advisory Council. The council will carry forward the work of the NAAC in ensuring that the skills and training of emergency medical technicians continues to meet all necessary requirements.
One of the first tasks the council will be asked to address is the issues surrounding the development of advanced emergency medical technician training, including the regulatory issues which arise in relation to this.
The chief executive officer of the Southern Health Board last year established a strategic review group to review the implementation of the recommendations of the 1993 report in the board's area and, in particular, to address the issue of the appropriate level of ambulance stations and hours of cover in those stations with a costed implementation plan for all the boards' area. This strategic review will include a costing analysis for 24-hour cover in all the board's ambulance stations. I am informed by the board that this strategic review will be completed before the end of this year and I look forward to its outcome.
The reduction of on-call cover and the increase in 24-hour cover in ambulance stations, not just in the functional area of the Southern Health Board, but nation wide, is but one of the many aspects of the emergency medical service that requires development. I am satisfied with the progress which has been made to date, while at the same time recognising that much still remains to be done. Negotiations are ongoing in the Southern Health Board in relation to "shift cover" through a management-union committee set up through the National Partnership Forum. I hope the issues raised this evening can be resolved through that mechanism.
The Government has pursued, and will continue to pursue, a policy of investment aimed at improving key aspects of the emergency medical service, including 24-hour cover, training, equipment and vehicles. I am committed to the further development of this vital service in the context of the recommendations of the 1993 report, the implementation of the cardiovascular health strategy and in response to the priorities identified by the health boards. I will, therefore, continue to provide additional resources for the continuing development of the emergency services nationally to ensure that those calling on the service continue to receive timely and appropriate care.
