Dara Calleary
Question:1113. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health if he has full confidence in the operation of the national ambulance service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32078/15]
View answerTuesday, 22 September 2015
Questions (1113)
Written answers
The National Ambulance Service (NAS) has undergone significant reform and modernisation in recent years, a process which is continuing in 2015. The rationalisation of control rooms to one national centre on two sites, Tallaght and Ballyshannon, has now been completed. On 2 September , the last remaining regional NAS control centre, Wexford, was successfully integrated into the new National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC), the accredited centre of excellence in Tallaght. The NEOC also houses the National Aeromedical Coordination Centre and the National Ambulance Service Training College.
This project is delivering improved technology, to improve response times. Developments such as national digital radio, computer-aided dispatch, mobile data and electronic patient care reporting will allow the NAS to deploy its resources more effectively and efficiently, and on a national basis rather than within small geographic areas. The new single computer-aided dispatch system has now gone live. This will transform the way the ambulance service is operated and emergency vehicles are deployed.
Work is also underway with Dublin Fire Brigade on addressing the integration of ambulance call-taking and dispatch for the Dublin area and make best use of HSE and Dublin Fire Brigade ambulance resources in the region.
A €5.4m budget increase in 2015 is helping to address service gaps, particularly in the west, by reforming rostering and staffing additional stations. Tuam and Mulranny ambulance stations are now operating on a 24/7 basis and discussions are underway concerning staffing of a newly refurbished facility at Loughglynn. The number of community first response teams is expanding, with 132 teams now operating nationally. On 14 July 2015, the Government agreed to establish the Emergency Aeromedical Support (EAS) Service on a permanent basis. The EAS continues to provide rapid access to appropriate treatment for very high acuity patients.
I am confident that all of these measures will further improve our ambulance service in 2015.