Threat to cut city’s ambulance cover to just two

AMBULANCE cover in Cork city on a Saturday night could be reduced to just two ambulances between 8pm and 8am, under cost-cutting plans by the HSE.

Paramedics, represented by SIPTU, have warned that “lives will be lost under the new plan to cut the ambulances by up to 50% on the busiest night of the week”.

SIPTU members have already threatened to ballot for industrial action over the proposed cuts.

At present, four ambulances operate in Cork city on a Saturday night, three rostered ambulances and one guaranteed overtime ambulance.

Due to budgetary overspending, the HSE wants to drop the guaranteed overtime crew and is refusing to replace an ambulance that is forced to travel to Dublin with someone who needs urgent care in the capital.

Currently, ambulances travelling to Dublin are automatically replaced by an ambulance on overtime.

According to ambulance drivers: “it would be a rare 24 hours that you don’t travel to one of the Dublin hospitals”.

The Cork city ambulance service also serves areas including Tower, Blarney, Ringaskiddy, Passage West and Carrigaline, which are up to 25km from the city centre.

The HSE last night said: “The ongoing priority for the ambulance service is to ensure frontline services are maintained. The service currently has a budget overspend and, as with all services, operational issues are reviewed on an ongoing basis to identify any efficiencies, ensure resources are prioritised and that frontline services are protected.”

SIPTU assistant industrial organiser, Ted Kenny, likened the move to “going back to ambulance cover similar to about 15 years ago”.

“HIQA are enforcing a whole range of new standards which mean we have to respond to calls in a certain period of time. There is no way that will happen with these cuts... all of this was decided without any consultation with us.”

HSE management and SIPTU shop stewards are expected to meet next week.