HSE misses date for aero-med centre

THE HSE has blamed the recruitment ban for missing today’s deadline for the establishment of a national aero-medical co-ordination centre.

An independent inquiry into why transport problems caused a teenager to miss an opportunity to have a liver transplant in July recommended that the 24-hour centre be established within two months.

Meadhbh McGivern, 14, from Leitrim, received a liver transplant last month in London and has since been transferred to Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children in Dublin.

The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) found last August that no single person or agency was in charge or accountable for the overall process of transportation.

Robert Morton, the head of the HSE’s National Ambulance Service, said the health authority was looking at innovative ways of operating the centre within the current staffing ceiling.

He said the HSE only got the go-ahead to begin recruiting for the centre last Friday — a process that could take eight to 10 weeks.

“If I was to crystal ball it, my expectation will be that in approximately 10 weeks somebody will be telling me there is no panel of suitably qualified staff available for recruitment.”

Mr Morton said the national centre was functioning, though not from a single site.

All of the processes identified by HIQA had been introduced and the service had improved with all the parties co-ordinating their activities and working closer together.

“Thankfully, we have had a number of very successful and well planned transfers since the issue of the report, including one as recently as yesterday evening,” he said.

He said the centre would operate from a single site in Dublin’s Townsend St once staff had been appointed and trained.

He said the HSE planned to take over Dublin Fire Brigade’s ambulance fleet, as recommended by the Comptroller and Auditor General.