Ambulance vehicles are required, by law, to have an annual vehicle safety check, the Commercial Vehicle Roadworthiness Test. This is a function of the Road Safety Authority.
Private ambulance companies, approved by the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC), are required to sign a statutory declaration annually, indicating that they have the necessary equipment and medications available for their practitioners. The statutory declaration also includes the requirement to maintain currency for PHECC registered practitioners. This requirement also applies to the National Ambulance Service.
I am advised that PHECC has carried out inspections on all approved private ambulance organisations; such inspections include an examination of the equipment and resources available. The Deputy may also wish to note that in order to provide an evidenced based inspection process, PHECC has developed the Governance Validation Framework (GVF) which is expected to be approved by Council shortly. The GVF will involve an annual self-assessment and a tri-annual site visit by PHECC for each organisation.