Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 2 November 2011
541 Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Health if he will consider levying a small charge on ambulance call outs which are deemed by hospital staff to have been unnecessary in order to discourage the use of ambulances for frivolous purposes without endangering patient safety; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32382/11]
View answerThe National Ambulance Service is an emergency service and operates free at the point of service. The strategic approach of the National Ambulance to this issue is to examine ways of triaging such calls at the point of contact, in order to direct patients to the most appropriate service. I will keep the question of charging in these circumstances under review.
