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Maura's family need answers -
ambulance review needed
16.01.14
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INISHOWEN TD., Charlie McConalogue has called for a
full review of ambulance services in Co Donegal
following the tragic death of Carndonagh woman
Maura Porter after a road accident last month. |
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The late Maura Porter. |
Deputy McConalogue
raised a special debate on the issue in the Dáil
this week. He questioned the Junior Health Minister
Kathleen Lynch about this specific incident and
about the need for a full audit of ambulances
services in Donegal and across the country.
The FF deputy said: “Maura Porter from Carndonagh
was unfortunately the victim of a road traffic
accident on the day before New Year's Eve. It took
almost an hour for an ambulance to come to
Carndonagh, unfortunately, because it had to be
despatched from Letterkenny. No ambulance based in
the local ambulance station in Carndonagh and no
local crew members were available at that point in
time. Local doctors came to the scene, but Maura
needed to get to hospital quickly. She died after
she got to the hospital. Her family will never know
whether it would have made a difference - whether
her life could have been saved - if the ambulance
service had arrived on time.
“We need to know exactly what happened in this
tragic case. We need to know that the victim of a
serious accident will not be waiting so long to be
brought to hospital again. Unfortunately, similar
terrible incidents have happened in other parts of
the country when it has taken far too long for an
ambulance to get to the scene. It’s important to
say that it’s not the fault of local ambulance
workers and emergency staff. They are doing their
absolute best with inadequate resources."
The Carndonagh-based politician added: “There are
serious gaps in resources that must be addressed.
The national guidelines indicate that an ambulance
has to be at a scene within 19 minutes. In Mrs
Porter’s case, it took an hour. The simple fact is
that the nearest available resource was much too far
away. Carndonagh ambulance station, which serves the
Inishowen Peninsula, was less than half a mile from
where Mrs. Porter's accident took place. It’s the
third busiest station in the North West after Sligo
and Letterkenny. One ambulance there is not enough –
we need two ambulances based there so that if one is
called away and a second call comes in, it is
responded to immediately.
“We cannot allow such an incident to happen again.
The Government is still refusing to commit to a full
review of ambulance services. What could be more
important than ensuring that our emergency services
are equipped to deal with life threatening
situations?” |
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