Timmy Dooley
Question:6. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Health how budget 2016 will improve the ambulance service, especially in the mid-west; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36598/15]
View answerThursday, 22 October 2015
Questions (6)
Oral answers (6 contributions)
On budget day the Minister referred to ambulance service improvements and indicated there would be additional funding, but he did not provide significant detail on that. Will he inform us now whether the mid-west can expect to get additional resources for the recruitment of staff and the provision of new vehicles? As he knows, there has been significant reconfiguration of acute services in the mid-west and, as a result, investment is required in the ambulance system and service. The reconfiguration process received widespread support but it was accepted on the basis there would be a consequent investment in the ambulance service. There is a problem in this regard. There is a shortage of staff and a difficulty with ambulances. Will the Minister enlighten us about funding for this need and when he expects it will happen?
A significant and ongoing reform programme has been under way in recent years in the National Ambulance Service and considerable advances have been made in 2015. In particular, the opening of the new national emergency operations centre in Tallaght and the establishment of the single national control system, which is now fully operational, will help to achieve improvements in ambulance control and dispatch performance throughout the country.
In recent years, the National Ambulance Service has changed and modernised its model of service delivery. It is no longer considered appropriate for an ambulance station to provide services only in its own local area. For this reason the ambulance service is moving to dynamic deployment where all resources in a region are deployed across that region as a single fleet in response to demand.
Among significant improvements to pre-hospital services in recent times is the emergency aeromedical support service, EAS, which the Government has established on a permanent basis. Since its introduction in 2012, the EAS, from its base in Athlone, has completed almost 1,200 missions for time critical and seriously ill patients, including those in the mid-west. In addition, the development of the intermediate care service, which is based in Limerick, provides vital support to the hospitals in the region, allowing patients to move to the most appropriate facility for the treatment they need.
In 2016, we will build on these improvements through the provision of additional resources to the National Ambulance Service. While I have no doubt that the mid-west will benefit from the additional resources, I am not in a position at this stage to give specific details in regard to any particular region. The details of the plan for all HSE services, including the ambulance service, will be outlined in the national service plan together with the allocation of existing and new resources. I can confirm that provision will be made for an increased ambulance service staffing intake and the expansion of community first responder schemes. Developments nationally will also be influenced by the National Ambulance Service independent capacity review, which will help to determine current and future service needs. Areas being examined include staff numbers and skill mix as well as resources and deployment locations.
I note the Minister is not in a position to provide specific details on the mid-west. I can help in that regard. In Clare alone, there is a shortage of approximately 20 staff and some vehicles are quite poor and need replacement. For that reason alone, I ask the Minister to use his influence for the development of the service plan for ambulance provision over the coming months. Will he ensure an additional staffing component of 20 for Clare and provide whatever other resources are needed in the mid-west generally? I call for this on the basis that the public representatives and the people of the region have accepted in principle, and to a large extent in whole, the reconfiguration of services from places like St. John's Hospital in Limerick, Ennis Hospital and Nenagh Hospital to the acute facility in Limerick.
This was a hard-won battle. It took a lot to convince people it was in their best interests and in the best interests of patient safety and outcomes. However, contingent on that acceptance was the expectation there would be a fit-for-purpose and fully staffed ambulance service fully provided for with appropriate ambulances. This has not happened to date. I appeal to the Minister in a non-partisan way to ensure the regions that have accepted the principle of reconfiguration get the appropriate investment in their ambulance service.
The budget of the National Ambulance Service will be increased for next year and was increased by approximately €5 million this year. Additional ambulances will be purchased, but how the funding and ambulances will be spread out by region throughout the country is up to the National Ambulance Service and I will be guided by its advice.
Deputy Dooley's point is valid and well made. Where reconfiguration has occurred - something we want to do in other parts of the country as well - it is difficult to maintain public confidence if there is not a good ambulance service. It is important to improve ambulance services where reconfiguration occurs. His point is valid for the midlands and north east also and I will take it on board.
I appreciate the Minister's commitment to reconfiguration. One of the main concerns around the reconfiguration process was that the benefits to the system would be realised, but that the potential upside for the patient would not in terms of the provision of ambulance cover. I am confident the Minister understands reconfiguration, but I am not sure the mandarins in the Department of Finance fully embrace and understand what is involved.
I welcome the Minister's commitment to engage with the ambulance service. I, along with Deputy Pat Breen, had an opportunity to visit that facility yesterday and the Minister is correct that a fantastic service is in place. I fully accept and understand the need for the dynamic deployment of ambulances. This is welcome but the service still requires a significant level of investment in staffing. It is often said by Ministers that there has been an increase in staff or that a Department intends to take on more staff, but that fails to recognise that people retire. What is important is that additional staff are required over and above those needed to replace those who retire.
We need is to improve the average age of vehicles in order that the fleet is more modern. If that happened, we would not have situations like those we have had in the mid west, particularly Clare, where one or two vehicles have broken down, creating trauma for families. In a particular case, a person died on the roadside, and although that was not because the ambulance broke down, it played a part in the trauma. Such incidents do not do anything to add to confidence in the reconfiguration process.
Deputy Willie O'Dea sends his apologies that he is not able to be present to deal with Question No. 7.
Question No. 7 withdrawn.