Health cuts bring hundreds of protesters onto the streets

TWO protests. Hundreds of angry voices.

One shared problem.

Concerned at the future of health services in their area, more than 1,000 people took to the streets in east Cork to protest at cuts to the ambulance service. Meanwhile, more than 500 people are expected to turn out today in Roscommon angered at the closure of the hospital’s 24-hourr A&E.

Youghal staged one of the biggest marches in its history on Saturday to retain its ambulance service.

More than 1,000 people paraded through Youghal centre, emphatically rejecting HSE proposals to replace the service with an advanced paramedic responder car from September 1.

The march, organised by the Save Youghal Ambulance committee, followed a previous rally on the town’s perimeter a week earlier.

Youghal, with a town population of 7,000 in a 44,000 catchment area, is served during daytime and weekends by an on-duty ambulance, while an on-call service operates 8pm-8am Monday to Thursday. Its 90-second on and seven-minute response times meet HIQA recommendations.

The HSE proposal, which emerged through leaked information, would replace the ambulance with a vehicle unable to transport patients. Objectors fear an ambulance summoned from elsewhere would not match HIQA’s criteria and fail to meet the ‘golden hour,’ timespan for hospital admission to give patients an optimum survival chance.

The HSE says the proposal has SIPTU approval and emanates from Labour Commission recommendations to abolish on-call services nationally.

Seldom has an issue so angered and united the town. “Geographically we are quite isolated and no ambulance can get here and then to Cork within an hour,” said local GP Deirdre O’Brien. “It will certainly cost lives.”

Meanwhile, more than 500 people are to protest today at Roscommon County Hospital against the closure of 24-hour emergency services there.

The emergency department was closed last month and replaced by an urgent care centre which provided a temporary nightly service.

This 24-hour service will close today and out-of-hours patients will be referred to hospitals in surrounding areas.