John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 69: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her plans to develop and improve the air ambulance service in view of her plans to close accident and emergency departments in small hospitals here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26388/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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An air ambulance service is currently provided by the Air Corps on the basis of a Service Level Agreement prepared by the Departments of Defence and Health and Children, in consultation with the Health Service Executive, the Defence Forces and the Air Corps, all of which are signatories to it. This arrangement has operated successfully for a number of years.

The air ambulance service is provided by the Air Corps for the following categories:-

Inter-hospital transfer of patients with spinal or other serious injury or illness,

Neonates requiring immediate medical intervention in Ireland,

Patients requiring specialised emergency treatment in the UK,

Organ retrieval teams within Ireland, and

Paediatric patients requiring immediate medical intervention in Ireland.

In addition, the Irish Coast Guard provides Air Ambulance inter-hospital transfers as part of its work and also provides for emergency medical evacuation from the islands around Ireland. In situations where the Coast Guard service is not available, the Air Corps will transport patients from offshore islands to mainland hospitals.

The focus of ambulance service policy for the medium-term is on the consolidation and development of land ambulance services. This includes ensuring that ambulance personnel have the requisite skills and training to enable them to provide more complex pre-hospital care. The continuing development of control and deployment arrangements will also enable the most effective and efficient use of available resources.

There are no plans at present for the HSE to become involved in the development or use of private air ambulance services.