Ambulance cover is halved in Navan

Plans to reduce ambulance cover in Navan, which went ahead on Bank Holiday Monday, have been met by fierce criticism. Just two weeks after a man died while an ambulance was being rushed to him from Navan, the HSE has moved one of its two ambulance units from the town's ambulance station. That unit will now be based across the north Leinster region. There is now just a single ambulance operating at night from Navan, and the entire county must rely on only two ambulance crews - one in Navan and another in Dunshaughlin - operating the night shift of 7pm to 7am nightly. On Thursday 26th May, 52-year-old Peter Sherlock died shortly after being brought to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, in a van. Following an emergency call, an ambulance had been dispatched from Navan, due to the in-service ambulances based at Drogheda already being in use. A motorist had to bring the man to hospital in the back of his van from the scene after waiting 20 minutes for an ambulance to arrive. Long-time Our Lady's Hospital, Navan, campaigner and Navan councillor Joe Reilly said the move was unacceptable. "Recent incidents in the north-east should have informed the HSE that leaving Navan with one ambulance from 7am to 7pm is asking to repeat the disaster of a couple of weeks ago. It's not acceptable that this went ahead without consultation and, in my view, is not in the interests of patient safety," he said. Navan Fianna Fail councillor Tommy Reilly termed the re-rostering as a "disgrace". He said: "It's a total disgrace when you think of that poor man over in Drogheda five minutes from the hospital; eventually, he was put in the back of a van, which isn't even a Third World service. "You wouldn't treat an animal like that and whatever nice name the HSE has put on this, re-rostering, people are suffering at their hands; but enough is enough, it's time to implement the policies that we heard before the election. I'm bitterly disappointed with this move," he said. Last month it was revealed in this newspaper that plans were afoot to reduce ambulance cover in the region, a move that was slated by local politicians and doctors alike. Local representatives warned that if the move went ahead, one accident with two casualties would leave the county relying on assistance from other counties. As of Monday, that is now the case. SIPTU's John McCarrick said: "We have to accept that the roster has changed but that the individuals involved are all retained in the area." He went on: "But we did express our concern to management at the amount of time spent by crews away from base because now they have to go to Drogheda and they could be three hours away." He said the HSE said it would take full responsibility. "Simply put, it was an interim measure and demand, as in the amount of calls, did not increase, which we all had to accept," said Mr McCarrick. Dunboyne councillor Maria Murphy said she will be approaching Health Minister Dr James Reilly to reverse the decision. "Dr Reilly made commitments about Navan before the election to have no changes in service. Deputy Damien English was at that march as well and also made commitments. I am reiterating my disappointment on this matter because it is not good enough given the size of the county," she said. The second ambulance based in Navan had been stationed there for a year - since April 2010 - as an "interim measure", according to the Health Service Executive (HSE). The National Ambulance Service is not a static service, it works on an area basis as opposed to a local basis," said a spokesperson for the HSE. "At present, the National Ambulance Service is reviewing operational rosters to ensure that appropriate emergency ambulance cover is available throughout the north Leinster Area on a 24-hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days of the year basis. The service is striving to ensure that the patient is centre of focus. "A review of activity and resources based at Navan Ambulance Station has shown that an additional ambulance resource placed there as an interim resource in 2010 during the restructuring of services could be put to more efficient and effective use in the region. The reorganisation of this resource will ensure service continuity on an area basis and there will be no negative impact on the delivery of patient care." It added that "successful dialogue" had been entered into with all relevant parties, including staff and staff unions. "The ambulance service is a dynamic service and responds to calls on a prioritised basis. This prioritisation of calls is achieved via the Advanced Medical Priority Dispatch System which is in operation in all National Ambulance Service Command and Control Centres. Ambulance Service resources are deployed on a clinical need basis to ensure that the appropriate patient gets the appropriate response. The closest appropriate resource is dispatched in the first instance and, if required, the service is then supported by resources from the surrounding ambulance stations, or the use of officer response and also resources from the other surrounding national ambulance service divisions when required. This cascade system ensures continuity of service and continuous patient care delivery," the spokesperson added.