Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The main role of the national ambulance service is to respond to emergency 999 or 112 calls. It also provides an interhospital transfer service through the intermediate care service.

There is a significant requirement for transfers of non-urgent patients for various clinical reasons, including transfers between hospitals, between residential and acute settings and transfers for diagnostic tests at other hospitals. In the context of the continued increase in demand for emergency ambulance services in recent years, there is a need to avail of private ambulance services to secure additional capacity for such patient transfers where required.

To this end, the HSE has put in place arrangements under a framework agreement, which provide for the utilisation of private ambulance providers. Public patient interhospital transports are carried out under this agreement.

Hospitals are permitted to seek patient transport services from other providers recognised by the pre-hospital emergency care council, where those included in the agreement are not in a position to provide the service required.

I am aware that acute hospitals have provided resources to the national ambulance service to facilitate the development of intermediate care services, and I welcome this. However, the reality is that there is an ongoing need for hospitals to have the flexibility to access private ambulance services where necessary and appropriate. The Deputy may wish to note that the HSE is reviewing public and private ambulance service provision. The review is expected to be completed by December 2016 and will answer the Deputy's question on value for money, as well as the question of consistency in deployment and policy around the country.

Since my appointment as Minister for Health I have met with the national ambulance service, NAS, and engaged with them on a broad range of issues including the various reviews of ambulance services which have been undertaken in recent years. I am therefore fully conscious of the need for a multi-annual programme of phased investment in ambulance manpower, vehicles and technology. In that regard, the Deputy can be assured that increased funding will be available to the national ambulance service for 2017. The detail of the improvements to be funded will be provided in the HSE's 2017 national service plan. Over the coming weeks my Department will work closely with its counterparts in the HSE and the national ambulance service to agree priorities in relation to the 2017 allocation.

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