Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour)
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Question 831: To ask the Minister for Health if he will issue a report on the latest briefing by the Health Service Executive on the proposed changes to ambulance cover in counties Cork and Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40865/11]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Proposals for improving and modernising emergency ambulance services in Cork and Kerry include stations and crews moving from on-call to on-duty status. Being on-duty means our highly trained paramedic crews will be on site in their stations or in their vehicles to respond to calls, rather than having to go to the station when called out. This will drastically reduce deployment times for emergency vehicles.

On-duty status means that resources can be deployed dynamically. This involves vehicle location during a shift being based on need and demand patterns, rather than simply at a station, producing more flexibility and responsiveness. The dynamic delivery model means that an on-duty emergency ambulance will be available from within a region as required. This will produce better response times for the people in Cork and Kerry and a better service.

Current evidence suggests patient outcomes can be improved by better treatment and stabilisation at the scene, followed by ongoing treatment and transport to the most appropriate centre, even if that means longer transport times. On-duty rostering will therefore support a modern emergency response service involving paramedics, advanced paramedics, community first responders and GP out of hour services, working together to respond to emergency situations. This approach is consistent with international best practice and will assist compliance with HIQA response times and quality standards.

I note that ambulance staff themselves sought the elimination of on-call working, that it has already been reduced from 44 hours to 16 hours per week in the region and that it will continue to decrease on a phased basis, as part of the improvement of services and response times. There are ongoing discussions with staff on implementing the proposals and both the HSE and unions are committed to this process.

The National Ambulance Service (NAS) proposals are phased. In phase 1, stations in East Cork which currently have night time on-call will have crews rostered on-duty 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The more rural stations (Castletownbere, Kenmare, Bantry, Skibbereen, and Caherciveen) will be involved in later phases. The service will be evaluated after each phase.

Finalisation of the HSE's proposals will depend on the outcome of the current industrial relations process, the HSE National Service Plan 2012 and realignment of existing resources within the HSE to support the reorganisation of NAS services in Cork and Kerry.

On-duty rostering is one of several service enhancements. Other developments include improved arrangements for control and dispatch, practitioner deployment and inter-hospital transfers. All of these will allow the National Ambulance Service to provide a better, safer, more comprehensive and more efficient emergency ambulance service to the people of the Cork and Kerry region as a whole.