Sinn Féin TD for Roscommon/Galway Claire Kerrane has raised in the Dáil this morning the further downgrading of ambulance cover in Roscommon which she has described as “unacceptable”.
Speaking having secured a debate on this issue this morning, Kerrane said:
“The ambulance service in Roscommon is being downgraded.“It started with the use of a Paramedic on the Advanced Paramedic roster despite a commitment for a Rapid Response Vehicle with 24/7 Advanced Paramedic cover in Roscommon following the closure of the A&E.“Now the latest is the removal of the Rapid Response Vehicle on Thursdays, which removes this viral emergency service once a week in Roscommon.“I want the 24/7 roster restored at Roscommon and this needs to be done urgently.“We are seeing the downgrading of the emergency ambulance service where we have no A&E and we are further away from our next nearest A&E. We are also still without the same access to the Air Ambulance where the majority of calls for it come from County Roscommon. It was due to return in January, it is now March and we are still waiting.
In response the Minister advised that options for filling the two vacancies are being examined.
Following the debate, Kerrane said:
“I am really concerned as to the wider policy in the National Ambulance Service which doesn’t seem to acknowledge or respect the role of Advanced Paramedics anymore. They have stopped training them and yet, Advanced Paramedics are the only Paramedics that provide advanced life support in emergency cases.“On the one hand the Minister stated that patient demand continues to rise with nearly 430,000 urgent and emergency calls last year yet, the National Ambulance Service are not training Advanced Paramedics.“The Minister acknowledged the role I played in establishing 24/7 ambulance cover in Loughglynn and I welcome that however, it is important to say that was achieved thanks to engagement with the previous Director of the National Ambulance Service, the current Director does not engage.”
