Poor record at UHG for ambulance ‘turnaround’ times

Just over 4% of patients who arrived by ambulance at UHG were handed over to Emergency Department staff within the guideline 20-minute ‘turnaround time’, according to newly-published figures.

Ambulance turnaround times measure the time interval from ambulance arrival at a hospital, to when the crew is ready to accept another call.

The statistics show that during the month of September, 1,022 patients arrived at University Hospital Galway by ambulance.

Of these, just 47 (4.6%) recorded ambulance ‘turnaround times’ within 20 minutes. That rate has dropped from 7.9% (75 turnarounds) in September 2017.

According to the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), all hospitals in Ireland should monitor the implementation of a 95% rate of patients being handed over from an ambulance crew to the Emergency Department staff in less than 20 minutes, and where this is not met, corrective action should be taken.

However, the HSE monitors it at 30 minutes, with a target of 95% turnaround in that time.

Based on the HSE’s alternative 30-minute turnarounds, the rate was 18.5% (190 transfers to ED) in September, down from 28.5% (270 transfers) in September 2017.

The figures were released to Fianna Fáil TD for Galway West, Éamon Ó Cuív, who said that urgent action needed to be taken to address the “huge deterioration” in times.

“These figures are very disappointing and extremely worrying for those who may depend on an ambulance over the winter months.

“More worrying is in 2017, the turnaround time at UHG was 7.9%. The decline in the transfer turnaround times is yet another reflection of the pressures on hospitals and the lack of capacity to cope.

“The main reason for the delay is because Emergency Departments are too busy with too few staff to process a patient coming in by ambulance.

“I will be pressing the Minister on the status of the proposed new Emergency Department at UHG which is long awaited and will go some way to reducing turnaround times,” said Deputy Ó Cuív.

The highest 20-minute turnaround rates were recorded at Temple Street Children’s Hospital (60.9%) and the Rotunda (60%) in Dublin, while the lowest were Kerry University Hospital (1.7%) and Mercy UH in Cork at 2.7%.

For 30-minute turnarounds, the highest rates were the Temple Street Children’s Hospital (83.1%) and the National Maternity Hospital (81.6%) in Dublin. The lowest rates were Cork UH (12.7%) and mercy UH (15.4%).