Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 January 2017
166. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Health the helipad services that will be available at the new National Children’s Hospital; if there will be no ground based helipad at the site; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a significant number of Coast Guard helicopters can only land on ground based helipads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3673/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere will be an elevated helipad at the new children's hospital, which will have direct and rapid access to the critical care, theatre and emergency departments within the hospital. This enhanced direct and rapid access will improve clinical outcomes for the sickest children and young people.
The Air Corps is the primary provider of paediatric helicopter services to the National Ambulance Service. Air Corps helicopters comprising Augusta Westland AW139 can land on a raised landing site or the roof of a building which is designed and certified for such operations. The Irish Coast Guard provides reserve support to the National Ambulance Service, when required, through its Sikorsky S92 search and rescue fleet primarily for search and rescue missions. The Sikorsky S92 helicopters are not licensed to land on helipads and, for access to the St. James's Campus, would land in the Royal Hospital Kilmainham from which patients would be transferred in an ambulance by road, which is current practice.
The majority of patient transfers to the three Dublin children’s hospitals are completed by road. In any major emergency rescue in a rural area, a Sikorsky Helicopter will bring the patient to the nearest regional hospital for stabilisation resulting in an appropriately planned transfer to the new children’s hospital.
