Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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26. To ask the Minister for Health the way he will address the ongoing concern regarding the quality of the ambulance service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27053/14]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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This Government is committed to improving the quality of our ambulance service and ambulance response times. The National Ambulance Service (NAS) is continuing the modernisation of its services, to ensure emergency pre-hospital care is delivered in an appropriate and timely manner. In that regard, additional funding of €3.6 million and 43 staff have been provided in the National Service Plan 2014.

As the Deputy may be aware, there are three reviews of the NAS currently underway. The NAS has commissioned a national capacity review,to determine the level and use of resources required for a safe and effective service. This independent review is being undertaken by the UK Association of Ambulance Chief Executives, an organisation with considerable international experience in operational and strategic reviews of this kind.

In the context of the development of the single national control and dispatch system, a review of the Dublin Fire Brigade (DFB) emergency ambulance service is also underway. This review was commissioned by the Dublin City Manager and the HSE’s Chief Operating Officer, and is considering all aspects of DFB ambulance operations, including the capacity and capability of current ambulance services. The review will inform consideration of the best model for the provision of emergency medical services in the greater Dublin area.

HIQA is undertaking a scheduled review of the NAS, examining the governance arrangements for pre-hospital emergency care services, to ensure the timely assessment, diagnosis, initial management and transport of acutely ill patients to appropriate healthcare facilities.

The three reviews are being conducted in parallel, in a concerted effort to examine our pre-hospital emergency care services throughout the country, with a view to identifying the best way to enable them to meet the challenges of the future. I am confident that the recommendations will guide us in the provision of a modern, forward looking service, capable of delivering the best possible outcomes for the public.

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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27. To ask the Minister for Health if his Department has carried out a review of practices in the ambulance service where ambulances are reportedly being delayed leaving accident and emergency units due to a reported lack of patient trolleys; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26891/14]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The National Ambulance Service (NAS) is committed to ensuring that patients are handed over to emergency department staff in a professional and timely manner, with the safety and dignity of the patient being paramount. However, at times of high demand in the emergency system, there is potential for delays in the transfer of patient care from ambulances to EDs. This can delay the release of ambulances from EDs, and reduce their availability for emergency calls.

To address this issue, the NAS has developed a hospital turnaround framework. The framework provides, for the first time, a standard national approach to patient handovers at EDs. This enables all parties to understand their part in the timely release of emergency ambulances, so that the ambulances are available to respond to emergency calls. The framework, developed in association with the National Emergency Medicine Programme, clarifies the clinical handover process, outlining clear responsibilities and standards. Target times are 20 minutes for clinical handover and 30 minutes for turnaround. The framework also sets out an escalation process, to alert NAS and wider health management to increases in emergency demand and activity, where this might delay patient transfers and the release of ambulances back into service.

Hospital turnaround data is now being collected nationally and is included, for the first time, in the April HSE Performance Assurance Report. This data will allow the HSE and my Department to assess performance in the handover of critically ill patients nationally, as well as at individual hospital level, and to target areas for improvement. I understand that, in April, the NAS brought over 16,000 patients to hospital and that the average turnaround time, from arrival to availability for another call, was 29 minutes 57 seconds.