Decision not to base ambulance in town sparks anger

THERE was an angry reaction from councillors yesterday to a Health Executive Services’ letter ruling out an ambulance for Cobh.

It also prompted furious reaction to delays in putting public representatives on the HSE, which replaced the health boards. A number of councillors said the creation of a “faceless HSE” left the public with no voice on health matters.

Councillors John Mulvihill (Labour) and Martin Hallinan (SF) said they were angry at the letter from the Southern Area HSE ruling out the permanent stationing of an ambulance on Great Island.

Cllr Hallinan said people had no faith in ambulances arriving in time from Cork or Midleton and were being rushed to CUH in cars.

Cllr Mulvihill said there was a population of 12,000 people on Great Island and it was growing all the time.

Councillors have been lobbying for years for a permanent service. However, the HSE claimed there had been no appreciable increase in emergency calls from the area and that ambulance response times from Cork had improved over the years because of the Jack Lynch Tunnel and the cross-river ferry.

Cllr Maura Cal McCarthy (FG) blasted hospital waiting lists, saying she knew one woman in west Cork who had been waiting a year and seven months to see a consultant. “I’m sure she will probably be well dead before she is seen,” said Cllr McCarthy.

Cllr Tomás Ryan (FG) said elderly people were suffering from a lack of representation. Party colleague Cllr Patrick Buckley said the HSE in its present form was not accountable or transparent.

According to Cllr Alan Coleman (FF), it was vital that Health Minister Mary Harney moved swiftly to put public representatives on the HSE.

Cllr Noel Harrington (FG) said he was concerned the HSE would pump money into major hospitals and forget about rural areas. “The democratic voice of the people must be heard,” added Cllr Noel Collins.