Ambulance carrying transplant patient runs out of fuel

The National Ambulance Service has launched an investigation after one of its vehicles apparently ran out of fuel while rushing a patient to hospital.

The ambulance had left a hospital in the South on Thursday to transfer the patient to a Dublin hospital to undergo what is believed to have been a lung transplant operation.

However, it ground to a halt near Newlands Cross on the outskirts of the capital at about midnight after it ran out of diesel.

The ambulance pulled in to the side of the Cork to Dublin motorway and paramedics called ambulance control for backup.

Gardaí got there first and the patient was eventually transferred to hospital in the Garda vehicle.

In a statement last night, the HSE said: “The National Ambulance Service are aware of an incident that took place involving one of their vehicles on the outskirts of Dublin on Thursday, Sept 19, and are looking into it.”

Fianna Fáil health spokesman Billy Kelleher said it was incredible that a seriously ill patient, who was in a race against the clock to undergo a serious operation, had to experience such an ordeal.

As well as investigating this incident fully, Mr Kelleher said Health Minister James Reilly should order a full audit of the country’s ambulance service.

Following a reconfiguration of services, ambulances are now “strategically deployed” to cover vast geographic areas.

“With more and more emergency departments being closed, ambulances now have to cover greater areas,” said Mr Kelleher.

“This is putting greater pressure on ambulance service personnel to deliver a safe and efficient service.

“This incident highlights the pressures the ambulance crews are under.”

“I am now calling on the minister to order a full audit of the ambulance service to ensure that it can deliver a safe and efficient emergency service.”