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

I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Health. I thank the Senator for raising the issue and giving me the opportunity to update the House on the ambulance base in Carlow.

The National Ambulance Service has experienced ongoing difficulties with a prefabricated building that forms part of the station facilities at Carlow ambulance base in the grounds of St. Dympna's Hospital. In response to concerns identified by staff and following a review undertaken as part of a health and safety audit, some deficiencies were identified. I understand that urgent remedial works were carried out to ensure the immediate safety of the ambulance base. While the base is functional at present, the National Ambulance Service has engaged with HSE estates in order to explore a number of options with regard to the Carlow base for the longer term, taking into consideration operational and staff requirements and associated costs of options considered. One of the options under consideration is remaining at St. Dympna's campus but in a different location. Depending on the length of time it will take to progress the permanent option, it may be necessary for the National Ambulance Service to rent a modern prefabricated structure as an interim solution. However. I am advised that management is engaged on a continuous basis with the staff at Carlow ambulance base. I have also been assured by the ambulance service that there will be no disruption to the provision of emergency ambulance services to the people of Carlow.The House is aware the National Ambulance Service has undergone a significant process of modernisation in recent years, and a number of important innovations and developments have taken place. We have established a national emergency operation centre and provided important technology to improve response times. We have developed the intermediate care service to provide lower acute hospital transfers, which frees up emergency ambulances for more urgent calls. We have also established the permanent emergency aeromedical support service to provide more timely responses to people in rural areas. We are looking at an alternative to the current model of care, which requires every patient to be brought to an emergency department. The options under consideration include hear and treat, whereby clinical advice is provided over the phone to callers who can than, if appropriate, be referred to other care pathways.

The ambulance reform programme is taking place against the backdrop of the HIQA review of the ambulance service published in 2014 and the National Ambulance Service capacity review published earlier this year. The review was undertaken by Lightfoot Solutions. The UK-based consultant firm examined overall ambulance resource levels and distribution against demands and activities.

Implementation of the recommendations of the capacity review will require a multiannual programme of phased investment in ambulance manpower, vehicles and technology. To this end, increased funding will be available to the National Ambulance Service for 2017. The details of the improvement will be provided in the HSE's 2017 national service plan which will be published shortly.