asked the Minister for Health if, in view of the lack of an accident service in the country, he will request the chief executive officers of the various health boards to arrange for the establishment of such a service in their areas as a matter of urgency.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Accident Service.
10.
While the Deputy may have some aspect of the accident service in mind of which he is critical, it is clearly nonsense to say that we lack an accident service in the country.
For serious accident and other injuries treatment is provided in the general hospitals in which a surgical service is available. The ambulance service which is operated by ambulance men who have been specially trained in first aid, resuscitation and patient handling techniques is widely distributed through the country. There are, in fact, 164 public authority ambulances in 73 locations and in all but a small number of cases there is radio-telephone communication between the ambulances and their bases.
I have received recommendations from the Consultative Council on the Ambulance Services about the management of the ambulance services in the context of the new arrangements for the administration of the health services. My Department is in consultation with the Chief Executive Officers of the Health Boards about these proposals.