Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. Unfortunately, the Minster for Health cannot be present and he has asked me to take this matter on his behalf.

I welcome the opportunity to address the House on a matter which has been the subject of speculation recently. The National Ambulance Service has undergone a significant process of modernisation in recent years and a number of key reform targets have been reached. They include the establishment of the national emergency operations centre; the delivery of improved technology to improve response times; the development of the intermediate care service to provide lower acuity hospital transfers, thereby freeing up more emergency ambulances to respond to more urgent calls; and the establishment of a permanent emergency aero-medical support service to provide rapid access to appropriate treatment for high acuity patients in remote rural areas where access by land ambulances may be difficult.

In the context of the ongoing process of reform and modernisation, the National Ambulance Service continually reviews its operations to ensure the most efficient service can be delivered to the public. To this end, a local review is under way in the mid-west which is focusing on the use of a specific rapid response vehicle in the region. The available data suggest more efficient use could be made of this vehicle in the context of available resources.

Contrary to recent media speculation, there is no question but that the service in the area will not be diminished. In fact, the purpose of the review is to ensure the people of the mid-west will receive the best service possible within available resources. The Minister has been advised that the outcome of the review will be subject to full discussion at national level and that service delivery and enhancement will be an integral part of the discussions.

The reform programme is taking place against the backdrop of the HIQA review of ambulance services which was published in late 2014 and the National Ambulance Service capacity review which was published earlier this year. The capacity review which was undertaken by Lightfoot Solutions, a UK-based consultancy firm, examined overall ambulance resource levels and distribution against demand and activity levels. The review found that the National Ambulance Service was presented with a major challenge compared to ambulance services elsewhere, as population density in Ireland is significantly different from that in many other countries. Outside the greater Dublin area, the population is widely dispersed, with a relatively large population living in rural areas. This means that response time targets are much more difficult to achieve because of longer driving distances. The report endorses the existing policy of dynamic deployment, whereby vehicles are strategically located where they are most likely to be required, rather than statically deployed, that is, located at a particular station. It is in this context that the review in the mid-west is taking place. The review is fully in line with the National Ambulance Service's key priority to ensure the deployment of the most appropriate resource quickly and efficiently. By optimising operational performance, we are seeking to ensure better outcomes for patients.

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