Emergency victim left waiting while ambulance lies idle

Date Published: 07-Sep-2011

BY ENDA CUNNINGHAM

A man who suffered potential serious head and neck injuries in an accident in Oranmore was forced to wait for an ambulance to come almost 40 miles from Ballinasloe, the Connacht Tribune has learned.

And it’s understood that an on-call doctor with the Westdoc out-of-hours service was also asked to travel from the western side of the city to attend the scene, despite heavy traffic worsened by road works which have crippled Galway’s road network for more than a fortnight.

It’s also understood that there are a number of ambulances lying idle which should be serving the region – this has been denied by the HSE.

The man was involved in a fall from a horse at around 5.45pm on August 22 close to the Dublin Road in Oranmore, and it is understood he sustained further injury when the horse fell on him.

Following a 999 emergency call, an ambulance was dispatched from Ballinasloe, rather than from a base at University Hospital Galway, which is just six miles away.

The Connacht Tribune understands Westdoc were also alerted, and a doctor from the western side of the city was asked to attend the scene – however, a series of three separate roadworks projects on and near the Quincentenary Bridge were in progress, which brought traffic to a standstill.

In response to queries from this newspaper, the HSE West confirmed an ambulance was dispatched from Ballinasloe, as “ambulances in Galway were already responding to other calls, therefore, the nearest ambulance that was available was in Ballinasloe”.

This newspaper has learned of another recent ‘999’ incident 15 miles outside the city – near the Tuam Road – in which an ambulance was dispatched from Castlebar.

“All calls received through the Ambulance Service Control are managed using Advanced Medical Priority Dispatch System (AMPDS). The AMPDS is an internationally recognised system,” a statement said.

The HSE said “up to 10” ambulances cover County Galway, with bases in Ballinasloe, Clifden, Carraroe, Loughrea and Galway City.

When alerted to the incidents by the Connacht Tribune, Councillor Padraig Conneely, Chairman of the HSE West Regional Health Forum said:

“It defies belief, it’s ridiculous, there’s no logic to it. When the HSE is alerted to an accident, they say themselves they never know what to expect, they have to be prepared for anything.

“This person had potential head and neck injuries, and had to wait for an ambulance from forty miles away in Ballinasloe, when UHG is just up the road."

Read more in today’s Connacht Tribune