Emergency helicopter service 'could be flying next year'

A dedicated all-Ireland medical emergency helicopter service could be up and running by the middle of next year, it emerged today.

Its primary function would be the rapid transfer between hospitals of patients needing specialist care as opposed to landing directly at the scene of accidents. Figures suggest the one craft could deal with up to 600 call-outs a year.

Proposals have been put to the Department of Health by the group HEMS Ireland, which would run the service as a charity.

Chairman David Hall said the biggest challenge was to raise initial funds of €900,000.

“I am 100% confident that next year we will have a dedicated hospital transfer service up and running,” he said.

“The hard part now is to sell the public a service which hasn’t yet happened.”

The Joint Oireachtas Committee of Health and Children was briefed on the findings of the HEMS report, commissioned by the Departments of Health both north and south of the border.

It concludes that a dedicated all-Ireland inter-hospital patient transfer service is required.

Consultants found that a primary response service, which would be called directly to emergency incidents, would cost €12m in capital and a further €4m annual operating costs.

Hospital transfers are currently provided by the Air Corps and the Irish Coast Guard. However, the service is limited and can only respond to about 100 call-outs a year.

Denis O’Sullivan, principal officer at the Department of Health, told the committee the Air Corps was undergoing a significant replacement programme which would increase its air ambulance capacity.

He said proposals by the voluntary sector to establish a Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) were under consideration.

“The hope is that by the middle of next year the Air Corps service will be much improved and there will be a parallel development of a dedicated service from the voluntary sector,” he said.

HEMS Ireland is comprised of medical practitioners, consultants, a solicitor and an accountant. The group formed one year ago and is a member of the UK’s Confederation of Helicopter Ambulance Services.

The Dublin-based service would be modelled on the British system and the helicopter would be leased from the UK. Proposals for the development of heli-pads at certain hospitals are to be presented to the Department of Health.

Mr Hall said he was confident the public would respond to demand as it was to be a not-for-profit service, for the public and funded by the public.

The total operating cost would be up to €1.8m, excluding staff. HEMS Ireland confirmed that tax breaks would be available to corporate sponsors.

Hopes were expressed that the Government would consider meeting the day-to-day running costs or fund an initial six-month pilot to kick-start the service.

Independent TD Jerry Crowley accused the Government of “fobbing off” the planned service on to the voluntary sector.

The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety in Belfast stated that its priority at this stage was to invest in its ground ambulance service.