Doctors cars - flashing green lights

monkeysox

The contention being that Ambulance Staff believe that any HSE owned and marked up emergency vehicle responding to emergency calls should be driven by a paramedic or AP with appropriate driver training.

Only one of the vehicles I referred to is owned by the HSE.

If the HSE are putting a response car on the road with a doctor in it it should be a doctor/paramedic team.

Although as said, the 1st July is the important thing but that is a whole other topic.
I might even start a thread, cos this one has definately run its course.

monkeysox

resus wrote: »

why not simply make them "staff." All 3 of the docs involved are HSE employees,

We need desperately to have a fully integrated system. Novel ideas supported, moving forwards and not looking back. If it saves life-and-limb, that's what matters.

ALL of the above said, the biggest issue right now is 1 July

2 of the 3 are HSE employees, however, to say "simply make them staff" is an easy thing to say!!! It's simply not that simple. After all, there is a recruitment moratorium. The 2 Doctors who are employees of the HSE are trainees ie they are doctors undertaking training schemes, therefore they have a certain career plan that must include recognised specialties approved by the Dean of their training institute. The 3rd is a GP who runs his own practice.
I agree we need an integrated system. Integrated should mean Emergency departments, Immediate care practitioners and the ambulance service working together.

Chiparus

I have one, not for getting through to emergencies, but because I was nearly run over when I stopped for a RTA.
I also have a Hi-vis ambulance jacket, clearly marked Doctor for the same reason.

I know one obstetrician has one to get through traffic for emergency c- sections etc although he rarely uses it. ( I am not sure if it is green or blue)

resus

monkeysox wrote: »

emergency vehicle responding to emergency calls should be driven by a paramedic or AP with appropriate driver training.

Could not agree more... How many What percentage of paramedics/APs have appropriate driver training in the HSE?

Tango Alpha 51

Every new entrant to the service since Jan 2008 has completed the mandatory 1 week driving course as part of their training. Prior to that it was ad hoc. In the old MW area, everyone since 2002 has had the week training before being allowed drive an ambulance. Other old area's had similar schemes. Nationally like I said there is the one course which everyone new to the service has to partake & pass.

drvr

Hi, I just wanted to clarify some things I've read on this forum

Most of the Doctor on call vehicles on the east coast (D-Doc, NEDOC) are owned by the and operated by the HSE(driven by HSE staff) They are marked and fitted with Green Lights. D-Doc cars have sirens Nedoc cars have no sirens.

North east cars are regularly requested by the Ambulance service to respond to Emergencies ( RTA's / Cardiac Arrests/ ObGyn calls) to assist Ambulance crews. They respond with NO exemption to speed limits etc. Green Lights are for courtesy only, and they usually get it.

Green lights are very rarely used and it is the Doctor who decides (dependent on incident) whether or not they are to be used.

Driver training is carried out by the same company that trains a lot of the HSE Ambulance service.

There is NO requirement for Drivers to be even First Aid trained. However some are trained to First responder level, EMT and Paramedic level from outside their HSE posts.

monkeysox

"North East Doctor on Call Ltd is a partnership with General Practitioners in the region and the HSE to provide urgent out of hours GP care. This means that if your own surgery is closed and you are in urgent need of a GP, you should contact us on"

Taken from their own website... I'd say a private company with HSE affiliation rather than HSE owned and operated.

Tango Alpha 51

drvr wrote: »

Hi, I just wanted to clarify some things I've read on this forum

Most of the Doctor on call vehicles on the east coast (D-Doc, NEDOC) are owned by the and operated by the HSE(driven by HSE staff) They are marked and fitted with Green Lights. D-Doc cars have sirens Nedoc cars have no sirens.

North east cars are regularly requested by the Ambulance service to respond to Emergencies ( RTA's / Cardiac Arrests/ ObGyn calls) to assist Ambulance crews. They respond with NO exemption to speed limits etc. Green Lights are for courtesy only, and they usually get it.

Green lights are very rarely used and it is the Doctor who decides (dependent on incident) whether or not they are to be used.

Driver training is carried out by the same company that trains a lot of the HSE Ambulance service.

There is NO requirement for Drivers to be even First Aid trained. However some are trained to First responder level, EMT and Paramedic level from outside their HSE posts.

Drvr,
Not sure where your getting your information from but all the GP Co-ops in the country are run in partnership with the HSE, their not owned & operated by the HSE. If any HSE staff are being used as driver's, their doing it on their own time or else their retired HSE staff. All GP Co-ops are privately run enterprises. They might get assistance ie financially etc off the HSE but that's about it. D-Doc cars SHOULD NOT be using sirens under any circumstances.

coolmoose

drvr none of the GP co-operatives are owned by the HSE. The vehicles are not driven by HSE staff (unless off duty).

what's your basis for this information, considering it's your first post on boards?

civdef

Whatever about doctors, how about local radio station jeeps having green lights?

drvr

Hi, The HSE own the vehicles they pay the drivers,nurses and receptionist wages. If you see the NEDOC cars they have NO insurance discs, just like all other HSE ( and State?) vehicles as they are now covered under the new arrangements. The HSE maintains and fuels these cars and buy replacements when necessary.

The Doctors themselves are employed by a Doctors Cooperative company. ALL DRIVERS are employed by the HSE. This I know for a fact.

Leo Demidov

You wouldnt happen to be one if these HSE "drvr"s would you. Regardless of who pays the drivers, the green lights are illegal, authorisation from ambulance control is not a get out of jail for free card.

Hooch

I think this has been done to death.

They are illegal full stop. Green lights dont exist in legislation so they CANNOT be legal.

The questions have been answered by three serving and well respected HSE Paramedics. I think i'll be believing them in regards everything else......