Sherlock insists ‘premature’ ambulance changes be postponed

THE Minister of State for research and Innovation, Seán Sherlock, has said the HSE’s imminent ambulance changes for Cork and Kerry must be postponed.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner, after senior health service officials revealed controversial plans to drastically alter how care is delivered by next month, the Labour TD said the move was dangerous to the public.

Mr Sherlock, who is also chair of the Mallow Hospital Action Committee, said the initiative was “absolutely premature” and should be halted immediately as the details had yet to be ironed out. And in a warning over the safety of people in both counties, he added that expecting to use volunteer first responders to fill de facto gaps where ambulance services were previously in place, means it is inevitable patients lives will be needlessly put at risk.