Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

The role and purpose of the ambulance service is to provide a clinically appropriate and timely pre-hospital care and transportation service. Pre-hospital emergency care and transportation services are provided as an integral part of the continuum of care for patients.

The Department of Health and Children has been advised by the HSE that there was a significant growth in demand for patient transport services in the west between 2004 and 2005. The ambulance service in that region has prioritised the provision of transport to oncology patients, dialysis patients, patients with acute lower limb injuries and transplant patients for one year after the operation.

The HSE has advised my Department that it examines all requests for patient transport services on a case-by-case basis, taking account of individual needs. The HSE's national ambulance office, in conjunction with the primary, community and continuing care directorate and the National Hospitals Office, is arranging for a comprehensive review to be undertaken of all non-emergency transport needs of patients. It will include an examination of the service delivered nationally and make recommendations for its future development. The group will also be tasked with developing proposals on how best to support patients who have to travel to access specialist services. One of the key outcomes for the group is to complete a needs analysis and strategic plan for a national patient transport scheme, to be finalised by the end of 2006. Subsequently, it will plan the migration to a separate role, which would be implemented on a phased basis from 2007.

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