Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)

I thank Deputy Naughten for raising this matter. I am replying on behalf of my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney.

Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive has responsibility to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. This includes responsibility for the provision of ambulance services.

The HSE provides emergency and patient transport ambulance services to a population of more than 380,000 people in the former Western Health Board region. The Department is advised that the emergency ambulance service is provided from ten stations across the catchment area. There has been a significant expansion of this service in recent years. Ten additional crews have been put in place and the number of 24-hour bases has increased from three to nine, while the overall hours of operation across all bases have increased significantly.

In 2004-05, 13 new high specification ambulances were provided. In addition, two new rapid response vehicles have been introduced as back-up to the fleet. Facilities at ambulance stations in Ballina, Boyle, Clifden and Roscommon have also been improved.

The HSE has advised that all dialysis patients in the region are entitled to ambulance transport services. It has further advised that ambulance transport services are provided to medical card holders who are oncology patients, kidney transplant patients for up to one year after the transplant, and patients with acute lower limb injuries. In addition, the HSE examines all requests for patient transport services in the region case by case and determines the requirement for transport support based on each patient's medical needs.

I understand that the National Hospitals Office intends to conduct a comprehensive review of patient transport arrangements as an element of its 2006 service plan. It is envisaged that this review will examine the service delivered nationally and make recommendations for its future development.

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