asked the Minister for Defence the reason a patient's relative was not allowed travel in a helicopter ambulance which landed on Inishboffin, County Galway, on 19 September 1982.
Written Answers. - Helicopter Ambulance.
394.
Because of the limited capacity of the helicopters in use for air ambulance missions, it is policy not to carry relatives of patients on such missions. However, when there is room, a relative of the patients may be carried, if in the opinion of the senior medical attendant this is desirable in the patient's interests.
In the case referred to by the Deputy, the nurse in charge of the patient did not request that the patient's daughter should travel in the helicopter.