Much needed reform of the Ambulance service will be kept to the fore in upcoming Dail term according to Deputy Michael Lowry.
The Tipperary TD says the recent case of a woman in her 90s who had collapsed and broken her hip on a street in Nenagh and was subsequently left waiting for almost 90 minutes for an ambulance to arrive cuts at the heart of every person in this country.
The independent Deputy described it as shameful and totally unacceptable saying it’s an issue which needs to be addressed.
“The ambulance is and has been chaotic for the past number of years. The centralised call-out system is a total failure. The response time and delays are as a result of poor management and lack of organisation and coordination.
“I have repeatedly stated that the ambulance service is under resourced, understaffed – it’s malfunctioning putting lives at risk.”
Deputy Lowry says Paramedics and ambulance personnel in Tipp are angry and disillusioned.
Ambulances can be delayed for hours due to over-crowded Emergency Departments as the receiving hospital staff has no place for the patient.
Therefore, the patient must remain on the ambulance until the hospital can accommodate them.
“The HSE have been warned of the dangers but have not moved to take corrective action. I’ve never seen the morale as low amongst Paramedics and ambulance staff. They are disillusioned, frustrated indeed angry that their legitimate concerns are not recognised and addressed in a practical way.”
