HSEdenies ambulance relocation

September 2009

THE Health Service Executive has flatly denied they have any intentions of relocating ambulance services out of Baltinglass. Speculation that cost-cutting measures at the HSE would result in the relocation of the ambulance service from Baltinglass Hospital to Naas General Hospital has been rife over recent weeks.

Cllr Tommy Cullen came out publicly and said he had been informed by HSE staff that such a move was imminent. However, the HSE remains adamant that the only changes taking place will be the move of the ambulance ‘call taking and dispatch’ from Naas to Dublin.

A spokesperson says, ‘ the ambulance service has no intention to change any of the ambulances in the west Wicklow/Kildare area to anywhere, except to keep them in their current location providing pre hospital emergency care.

‘ The ambulance ‘call taking and dispatch’ is planned to move from its current location at Naas to the Central Command and Control Centre in Townsend Street in Dublin’. In the West Wicklow/Kildare area emergency ambulances are responded from their bases in Baltinglass, Naas, Maynooth and Athy, all of which are to remain at their current locations according to the HSE.