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THE HEALTH SERVICE needs to treble the amount of ambulances it has as part of ‘urgent action’ to address the shortfall in resources.
The call from Deputy Denis Naughten comes as new data shows that ambulance response times are not always meeting targets.
The Irish Times reported today on poor response times, which Naughten said show the continued need for “urgent action” on the issue.
Response times
The data shows that in the southeast region of Ireland last December, for example, 45 per cent of 999 calls made in relation to people who were in cardiac or respiratory arrest were responded to within 19 minutes.
The target is 70 per cent of calls to make it within that timeframe. The figure for the west was 52 per cent and 53 per cent in the northeast.
Naughten said that action is needed in light of the disclosure that when compared with Northern Ireland, we only have one third of the ambulances required to provide a proper service.
In order to provide a similar level of cover to that provided in Northern Ireland, our ambulance service needs to treble in number of ambulances available to meet the needs of the population.
He added: “It must however be remembered that the distances to A&E departments involved in the Republic are far greater than north of the border.”
For example, following the closure of Roscommon A&E, the distances involved, if replicated in Dublin City Centre, would mean that someone suffering a stroke in O’Connell Street, could have to rely on the ambulance coming from Cavan Town to bring them to the A&E Department at St Lukes Hospital, Kilkenny.
He said that there are three “official” ambulance black spots according to the HSE in the country: Tuam, Mulranny and West Roscommon.
Naughten claimed that while they are to get an ambulance base, they “have received no new ambulances or crews”. This, he said, means “the existing inadequate service within the region is being spread far more thinly on the ground”.
Earlier this month, the National Ambulance Service said it is reviewing the circumstances of an incident in Dublin where a patient was left for 40 minutes before a paramedic arrived on scene.
The man had suffered a cardiac arrest.
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pity the lad having to count all those people arriving for thousands of years.
We were there on a dreary day in April and the place was rockin. It was very busy with coach tours. I think we paid €12 for the 4 of us. Views are breathtaking. Well worth a visit and not the usual rip off like most places
Ummm I wonder if an irish person was ever really going to be the millionth visitor??
I was there when I was a teen and it was free about 10 years later go again with my wife and I’ve to pay for something that nature created
Does one American still count as two?
Ha ! Ha ! Ha !
Ya alot of sadness associated with those cliffs too, my sister jumped of them as they sun was setting, god rest her.
Oh no…that’s awful, RIP.
That’s grim
How convenient a American won it.ripping people off with parking charges to view a natural wonder
You’re just annoyed that a competitor had more visits than you!
Are you blaming the Americans for parking charges??
Haven’t read the full story. Would sometime be so kind as to post up cliff notes?
I visited the cliff for the first time this year. Can’t believe I waited so long. It was in the evening and we hopped that little fence to get closer to the edge. There was no one there keeping track of visitors, but it’s a lovely time to see them, when the is sun setting.
There was, ya have to buy a ticket to go in. They build a very expensive visitors center there, from what I remember a lot of money went missing and it went way over budget. Another scandal hushed up.
Your revolution is going to be the least fun revolution ever
Cliffs in Kilkeel are just as impressive and u don’t need to pay to park your car
*Kilkee*
Very commercialised now, €6 per person to park the car = €24 for 2 adults 2 children. so we just went down a little side road where you could park the car in a farmers garden for €2 posted through his letterbox.
Stunning scenery, infact Clare in general is amazing :)
Come try the walk along the cliffs from Doolin to the Visitors Centre. Spectacular and nerve tingling at any time of year. http://youtu.be/Anftlby4gSE
There’s a guy that does a guided walk all the way along, knows his stuff and a good guide. Is that you?
I prefer slieve league.
I’d love to visit them. Visited the Giant’s Causeway earlier this year and wasn’t impressed.
Am I the only one who thinks the cliffs are a bit dull?
Coastal causeway road along north antrim coast is much more interesting.
You get a 1,000,000. visitors up there ?!!!
There is a great free Cliffs of Moher audio guide app
Where is the viral video of the event? Surly they want to get some publicity outside of the Irish media…
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