No planned ambulance service cuts - but HSE battling 'high levels of staff absence'

The HSE has confirmed it has actually increased the number of paramedics working in the south-west, but said illness and injury is causing gaps in its rosters

A statement issued by the HSE on Friday follows concerns in the past week about ambulance services in West Cork and Kerry. File picture: Larry Cummins

The HSE says that there is no reduction of ambulance services planned for the south west region, but acknowledges that local line managers have to deal with gaps in rosters because of “high levels of staff absence due to illness or injury”.

A statement issued by the HSE on Friday evening follows concerns in the past week about ambulance services in West Cork and Kerry.

Plans to reduce services in the area were announced suddenly to the Siptu union on September 13 by National Ambulance Service (NAS) management, followed a decision by the HSE to cut funding. 

However, the plans to cut services in Castletownbere, Skibbereen, Clonakilty, Mallow, Millstreet, Macroom, Kanturk, and Fermoy in Cork, and Tralee, Dingle, Listowel, Killarney, Kenmare, and Caherciveen in Kerry were scrapped after intervention by Health Minister Stephen Donnelly.

On Friday evening, the HSE said it wished to clarify “that there is no reduction of NAS services currently or planned in the HSE south west region. Rather, the HSE NAS has deployed additional staff over the last 12 months.” 

It said that since September 2023, the NAS has deployed an additional 32 paramedics in the south west region, including seven additional paramedic interns who were deployed to the region in August.

The HSE said that it is engaging and consulting with trade unions. File picture: Eddie O'Hare

The HSE added that additional paramedic interns are expected to join the HSE NAS in the area in December.

But the statement said: “Local line managers continue to manage the day-to-day challenges associated with gaps in rosters resulting from high levels of staff absence due to illness or injury. 

"This means that any additional staff appointed must fill existing rosters and cover leave arrangements so that we can ensure we minimise the need for our staff to work overtime which can have a detrimental impact on their health and wellbeing. 

"This also makes sense in terms of maximising the use of our available resources.” 

The HSE said that it is engaging and consulting with trade unions representing staff “on how staff can best be deployed to deliver both current and future services in the region”.

Two meetings were held in recent weeks with representatives of the unions, with a further meeting due to take place next week.