Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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469. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to provide for an adequate local ambulance service for north-west Connemara, County Galway, where persons endure long wait times for an ambulance from call out time to time of arrival at a location (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23201/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I met the Group referred to by the Deputy on 20 February last to hear their concerns regarding ambulance response times in the communities of Connemara.

I have been advised by the National Ambulance Service (NAS) that it is improving regional coverage and deployment across Connemara and West Mayo. Emergency resources are now deployed on a regional, rather than on a local basis, and the NAS is moving away from ambulance provision from fixed bases to dynamic deployment. This means that resources can be used across a region, so that if demand increases in one area, other resources can provide cover as required. New bases have been established at Tuam and Mulranny and a deployment base has been established in Loughglynn.

The Capacity Review, published last year, identifies particular difficulties serving rural areas. The Review indicated that the only practical way to improve first response times in rural areas is through voluntary Community First Responder (CFR) schemes. The further development of a comprehensive national programme of CFR schemes has therefore been prioritised in the HSE National Service Plan 2017. The NAS continues to work with local CFR Groups across the country to enhance services and greatly values their continued commitment and support.

In addition, the NAS is supported by the Emergency Aeromedical Service (EAS), a helicopter based transport service, which was established on a permanent basis in 2015 and provides rapid access to appropriate treatment for very high acuity patients, specifically where land ambulance transit times would not be clinically appropriate. The service operates seven days a week in daylight hours and is specifically targeted at the West, with the highest demand for the EAS coming from Galway, Mayo and Roscommon.

The issue of voluntary ambulance groups responding to calls was also raised at my meeting with this Group. I have been advised that in order for the NAS to dispatch a voluntary ambulance, the voluntary provider must meet the required Pre Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC) standards. I would therefore encourage the local voluntary providers to work with the NAS to progress this approach.

I wish to assure you that the NAS is committed to the provision of a safe, patient focused pre-hospital emergency care service and will continue to develop services in the West and across the country.

The Programme for Partnership Governmentcommits to additional annual investment in terms of ambulance personnel and vehicles. €7.2m additional funding was provided to the NAS in 2016, including €2m development funding. An additional €3.6m has been provided in 2017, which includes €1m to fund new developments.