Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. I know that she has a good record on health and disability issues. It gives me the opportunity to inform the House on air ambulance services and the supports available to families of children receiving medical treatment abroad.

The United Kingdom and Ireland share a common organ pool base. When donor organs become available, they are submitted to the common pool for transplant to the most appropriate patient on the waiting list. The United Kingdom provides paediatric transplant services on behalf of Ireland and they are organised through the treatment abroad scheme. In 2016 nine paediatric liver transplant and eight cardiac patients were treated under the scheme.

Responsibility for the co-ordination of transport logistics for paediatric transplant transfers rests with the National Ambulance Service, NAS.

The NAS uses three providers for these transfers: the Irish Air Corps, the Irish Coast Guard and private air ambulance companies. The NAS prepares an individualised transport logistics plan for each patient and keeps the plan updated. This logistics plan takes into account the patient's location, medical requirements and the time window available in which to complete the transport. The timeframe to transfer a liver patient is six hours, whereas a shorter timeframe of four hours is available for cardiac transplant patients.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Air Corps is currently experiencing manpower challenges and has been unable to sustain the level of service previously provided for the transfer of priority paediatric transplant patients. While there is significant work under way in the Department of Defence to increase the capacity of the Air Corps, this reduction in the availability of the Air Corps resource is problematic. I accept the Deputy's point in this regard. I can assure the Deputy that the NAS has taken every step possible to ensure that contingency arrangements are in place in light of the reduced Air Corps availability. In that regard, the NAS is working closely with the Irish Coast Guard and private providers in an effort to mitigate the risks associated with the transport of patients. However, the NAS medical director is of the view that, given the current difficulties, all cardiac transplant patients should relocate to the UK in order to guarantee access to transplant surgery. He has also recommended that decisions regarding the relocation of liver transplant patients be made on a case-by-case basis, considering the location of the child. I understand the decision to relocate is a very difficult one for any family, not least the family of a sick child. Given the exceptional circumstances with regard to air ambulance transfers, the Minister, Deputy Harris, has asked the HSE, through the treatment abroad scheme, to make a financial contribution to families who are advised to and who choose to relocate.

In the meantime, I understand that every effort is being made to address the shortages in personnel faced by the Air Corps, and a plan is in place to allow it to return to full strength. The Deputy may wish to note that following a recent notification from the Irish Coast Guard of reduced availability for inter-hospital transfer services due to scheduled fleet maintenance, the Air Corps rosters were changed at very short notice to provide additional cover, in case an organ became available for a transplant patient. This arrangement, at very short notice, illustrates the strong interdepartmental co-operation evident in the provision of the air ambulance services.

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