Republic paramedics answer

Irish ambulances will cross border to help take the pressure off crews here as health service faces severe pressure amid pandemic

PARAMEDICS from the Irish Republic are set to help their Northern Ireland counterparts this weekend.

It comes as the health service continues to face severe pressure amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Michael Bloomfield, chief executive of the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS), said the move is “relatively unusual” and reflects the pressure they are under.

“We had support from our colleagues in the National Ambulance Service last year during a particularly challenging time,” he told the BBC.

“On a day to day basis we respond to calls in the Republic of Ireland and colleagues from the National Ambulance Service respond to calls here on an individual basis, but in terms of crews coming up to work an entire shift, it’s not something we do often and reflects the pressure we are under.”

On Tuesday, queues of ambulances were witnessed at accident and emergency departments (EDS) across Northern Ireland as patients were treated in car parks due to a lack of capacity inside the hospitals.

At one point, 17 ambulances containing patients were lined up outside the ED at Antrim Area Hospital.

Yesterday, the hospital occupancy rate was 104% according to the department of health’s Covid-19 dashboard.

Mr Bloomfield said it remains “exceptionally busy”.

“There is no doubt that Monday night and into Tuesday was probably one of the most difficult and challenging periods that we have had for quite some time, it has improved slightly over the last couple of days but is still exceptionally busy right across the health and social care system,” he said.

“There are many patients in every emergency department waiting for admission, that then results in delays in turning ambulances round at emergency departments.

“And when an ambulance is waiting outside an emergency department to hand its patient over into the emergency department, it is not available to respond to calls so that does has an impact on our response times.”

Mr Bloomfield said the NIAS receive between 600 and 700 emergency 999 calls every day, adding around 150 of those calls a day are Covid-related.

Yesterday Ireland’s health service chief said the Covid-19 situ

Michael Bloomfield ation in Northern Ireland served as a “stark reminder” of how rapidly the scale of the crisis can intensify.

HSE chief executive Paul Reid said the Northern Ireland figures demonstrated how a sustained level of cases can have a massive impact, in particular on the hospital system, in a very quick period of time.

“I think what we’re seeing in the north of Ireland over the last few days in particular gives us that stark reminder,” he added.

Case numbers continue to rise in Northern Ireland despite the latest two-week circuit-break. Health chiefs have cited low compliance with the regulations and guidance as a reason infections, hospital admissions and death rates remain relatively high.

Last night Taoiseach Micheal Martin said that it is likely new restrictions on home visits and the hospitality sector will be introduced in the Irish Republic before the end of the year.

Speaking on RTE, Mr Martin said he was “very worried” about the growing number of cases and confirmed that Ireland’s National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) have recommended restrictions on household visits and on the hospitality sector be brought in before New Year’s Eve.

The cabinet is to meet on Tuesday to discuss the latest Nphet recommendations and Mr Martin added that the government would “seriously consider” the crackdown on pubs, restaurants and household visits before New Year’s Eve.

The Taoiseach said Nphet’s worries stem from a rise in cases among all ages and the resulting effect this may have on hospitalisations, ICU admissions and mortality.

“While the rise in the second wave was largely in younger people so it did not have the same effect on hospitalisations and ICUS,” Mr Martin said, adding that the healthcare system in Ireland is in good shape this winter, but said “we want to keep it that way.”

“[We] will give people plenty of notice on whatever decisions the government take, but we are mindful of the rising numbers. When they get to a certain level they can rise exponentially.”

Mr Martin said people should act as if they have the virus and don’t want to pass it on to people.

He added: “I think Christmas is about family but we need to watch the inter-generational mix.

“It is extremely important that we all wear masks, remain vigilant and mind ourselves”.