Ambulance Service Reforms (RTÉ video)

flazio

http://www.rte.ie/news/av/2011/1107/media-3102931.html#
I think this is just a slow news day filler piece for the Six One news last night as most of this is old news by now but one thing did catch my ear.
The spokesperson from the Irish Fire Emergency Services Association thinks that the Ambulance and Fire services should be integrated nationwide as is the case with Dublin Fire Brigade, citing that this is normal practice in the U.S. and is starting to occur in the UK.
I'm sorry what? To the best of my knowledge all professional public sector ambulance services in the UK are run by the NHS are they not? Was there a shift to fire brigades that I wasn't made aware of.
In my opinion Ambulance care is a medical service above a rescue service, while I welcome the high standard of medical training that fire fighters receive these days I believe that the ambulance service should remain primarily a Health Service. Integrating the two would cause problems for those who want to be ambulance workers but have no interest in fire fighting and vice versa.
Anyway, anyone else want to add there 2 cents to this report?

karbonkoncepts

thats john kidd, hes been on about that for years as he has nothing else worthwhile to be shouting about..anything to get himself on the tv...he has split union membership in the brigade and looks like its not working out too good for his new little association..as they still do not have regonition as a union 1 year on..

maglite

We really doing hear and discharge?

Transport all cas?

and the US has major problem in some areas with "holy grail" integrated system.

groundhurling

Not sure about hear and discharge but see and discharge is the way forward. They are already way behind the NHS, one only needs to read the Bradley report to see the advantages of "bringing healthcare to the patient".

scholar007

maglite wrote: »

We really doing hear and discharge?

Hear and discharge?? - OK so I got a pain somewhere and I ring for an ambo and the guy/gal listens to the history / symptoms etc. Eventually they say take a couple of paracetemol and go to bed. Next morning I don't wake up - Whose fault is that?

Can they see the flushed face, the uneven pupils, the cold clammy sweat, the swelling and a myriad other signs over the phone?

I know it does something about the trolley issue in A&Es but seriously - Hear and Discharge? It sounds like a gem Mary Harney came up with.....

groundhurling

scholar007 wrote: »

Hear and discharge?? - OK so I got a pain somewhere and I ring for an ambo and the guy/gal listens to the history / symptoms etc. Eventually they say take a couple of paracetemol and go to bed. Next morning I don't wake up - Whose fault is that?

Can they see the flushed face, the uneven pupils, the cold clammy sweat, the swelling and a myriad other signs over the phone?

I know it does something about the trolley issue in A&Es but seriously - Hear and Discharge? It sounds like a gem Mary Harney came up with.....

See page 28 http://www.ambulanceleadershipforum.org/site_content_files/files/taking_healthcare_to_the_patient_2_12jul11.pdf

If done correctly, it could serve it's purpose quite well as it is in other countries.

scholar007

groundhurling wrote: »

See page 28 http://www.ambulanceleadershipforum.org/site_content_files/files/taking_healthcare_to_the_patient_2_12jul11.pdf

If done correctly, it could serve it's purpose quite well as it is in other countries.

Unfortunately this is Ireland and you have to allow for the paddy factor, i.e. something can work quite well in other countries but then transplant it to Ireland and it gets fcuked up - I hate to say it but I would almost bet on a court case in a few years time -

"Jaysus Judge, Johnny, he phoned de ambulance roight and dey told him dat his headache would go away and to take a couple of paracetmol and go to bed and now he's dead and I'm left to rear the 19 childers on me own"

flazio

How will this Donegal back up dispatch be staffed? Surely they aren't going to recruit people to sit in an office where they are only used a few times a year?

resus

Are we going to have doctors available to screen calls, like in many European countries?

Paulzx

flazio wrote: »

How will this Donegal back up dispatch be staffed? Surely they aren't going to recruit people to sit in an office where they are only used a few times a year?

Make that statement over in the Irish Economy forum.

It will drive them feckin mental:D

(doesn't matter whether its true or not)