‘Critical ambulance in Roscommon parked up once a week’
Roscommon-Galway Sinn Féin TD Claire Kerrane has launched an online petition addressed to the Director of the National Ambulance Service, asking that he restore the Rapid Response Vehicle (RRV) on a 24/7 basis in County Roscommon.
Speaking having launched the petition, Kerrane said, “On the closure of the A&E in Roscommon back in 2011, we were promised a Rapid Response Vehicle (RRV) staffed 24/7 by an Advanced Paramedic given our distance to the next nearest A&E. Fine Gael and the HSE categorically gave this commitment. This had been in place since.
“In recent months, a decision was made by the National Ambulance Service (NAS) to cease paying overtime on the RRV on Monday nights. This means the RRV is parked up on a Monday night from 8 pm to 8 am and is unavailable in an emergency situation.
“I presume this is a measly cost-saving measure for the NAS. It’s no such thing to me. The RRV and the presence of an Advanced Paramedic can be the difference between life and death. There is no cost-saving worthwhile in that.”
Deputy Kerrane said that she has been raising the downgrading of our Ambulance Service since a paramedic was being used (and still is) in place of an Advanced Paramedic on the RRV.
“I have raised this at every level, including in a meeting with the Director of the NAS at their Headquarters. While a commitment has been made to restore Advanced Paramedic cover and efforts are seemingly being made to fill the current roster to ensure the cover is 24/7, the continued absence of the RRV once a week remains unacceptable.
“I am asking the people of Roscommon to support my call for the restoration of the RRV to Roscommon Town for our county.
“I appreciate not everyone has access to an online petition so if you are unable to sign you can reach out to my constituency office on 0949861688 and I will add your name to the petition.
“We need to do this one together and so I hope you will back this campaign”, she concluded.
That petition can be found at my.uplift.ie/petitions/restore-24-7-rapid-response-vehicle-in-county-roscommon.
