Advanced paramedics bring life-support roadside

AN advanced paramedic (AP) service which will be launched in north Cork in the coming week will effectively take advanced life-support out of the A&E to the roadside where it is needed.

A pilot west Cork EMS five-man AP team launched late last year has been an over-whelming success.

The initiative will be rolled out in north Cork from Fermoy to Kanturk to Mallow and the surrounding areas from a base in Cork city.

The AP team will offer 24-hour, 365-day cover in the region.

A spokesman for the HSE said the first part of the rollout of the north Cork advanced paramedic team should start in early April.

“This information campaign includes visits and presentations by the advanced paramedics to staff with whom they will work, primary and secondary schools, public representatives, community groups and associations, chambers of commerce and hospital action groups.”

The APs have graduate diplomas in emergency medical science from University College Dublin and are specialists in pre-hospital emergency care, trained to provide care in all types of medical emergencies.

They possess skills which include advanced airway management, initiation of IV fluids and administration of medications such as pain relief and anti-convulsing therapies.

These APs can provide advanced life support in resuscitation situations and complement other care providers such as paramedics, doctors, nurses and first responders in the community.

The APs are in a position to carry out interventions that otherwise could not be carried out outside of a hospital.

Introduced as part of the reconfiguration of the health service in Cork and Kerry, the APs in north Cork are to be the second such team to be deployed in the region.

They are alerted to an emergency call by Ambulance Control and respond in their own fully medically-equipped rapid response vehicle ensuring the most efficient and comprehensive response to the incident.

The APs have a direct link via a dedicated emergency number to the A&E at Cork University Hospital (CUH).

This ensures the APs can liaise with an emergency department doctor for consultation and decision-making around patient care.

Professor John Higgins, director of reconfiguration, described the introduction of the paramedic service in Cork as a solid example of how the health service can be adapted to ensure it works better for those who need it. The long-term plan is for five teams in the south-west region.