NI ambulance service to assist north Louth

Northern Ireland ambulances are part of the solution to delays in emergency response times for people living in North Louth, the Argus has learned.

Concerns about the length of time ambulances can take to respond to an emergency in Cooley, Omeath and other parts of North Louth were raised in a Seanad debate last week.

Minister of State at the Department of Health, Jim Daly told the Senate that the National Ambulance Service has three bases in Louth, Dundalk, Drogheda and Ardee, from which emergency ambulances and intermediate care services are provided.

‘ The National Ambulance Service has been moving to a policy of dynamic deployment, where vehicles are strategically located where they are most likely to be required, rather than located at a particular station. In this regard, Louth can also be served by resources based at neighbouring counties.’

The Minister said that the ambulance dispatch points were identified following an analysis of demand based on historical data from the regional control rooms.

‘ There are ongoing reviews of rosters and strategic deployments of ambulances in the region to ensure that deployed resources remain relevant to demand.’

He also highlighted Community First Responder groups as being part of the solution for rural areas. ‘ The only practical way to improve first response times in rural areas is through voluntary community first responder, CFR, schemes. The National Ambulance Service continues to work with local CFR groups across the region to enhance services with eight CFR groups currently operating in County Louth.’

The Minister pointed to the cross border arrangements which could also help improve response times in north Louth.

‘ The National Ambulance Service also works closely with the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service to provide a better and more responsive service for patients in Border counties, including County Louth. Co-operation is formalised in two memoranda of understanding signed in September 2019.’

Senator Keith Swanick appealed for ‘greater co-operation with the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service.’ He added: ‘Places such as Omeath are only ten minutes away from Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry and yet ambulances are being dispatched from Drogheda, leading to a response time of an hour and 20 minutes, when it could be a ten or twenty minutes from across the Border.’