Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

549. To ask the Minister for Health the estimated cost of purchasing an ambulance and staffing it with an appropriate team of paramedics in order to provide transport services from Nenagh General Hospital to local nursing homes, to transport patients who are leaving Nenagh Hospital and are being moved to local nursing homes in north Tipperary; the estimated cost for this one-off capital expenditure; the estimated running costs of this on an annual basis thereafter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6502/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy may or may not be aware funding and responsibility for the provision of non-emergency patient transportation was distributed to individual service providers (Hospitals and Community Healthcare Organisation (CHOs) ) some years ago, on the basis that they are the service provider and not the National Ambulance Service. The responsibility for determining if non-emergency patient transport is to be provided, and the cost of that transport, therefore rests with the local service provider, that is the hospital, or the CHO concerned. Otherwise, such transportation arrangements are normally funded by the individual.

I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter with any further pertinent information they may have on this topic.