Health minister shadows emergency rapid response team

DG7

Leo Varadkar spent last nit with National Ambulance Service.

What are peoples views, was it a real effort to get experiences/views of staff or a publicity stunt?

From rte.ie

Minister for Health Leo Varadkar went out with a rapid response vehicle last night in Dublin as part of a private trip organised with the ambulance service.

The minister wanted to see the ambulance service in operation at first hand.

He provided manual assistance during an emergency call at a golf club in Dublin, essentially carrying equipment.

He also visited two control rooms, one on Townsend Street in the city centre and another, due to open in the New Year, in Tallaght, South Dublin.

martinr5232

Bet it was a new vehicle he was out in. Why dont they send him out in one of the ould piles of scrap with five hundred km on it see what he thinks of them.

He has been criticised for not going to see the frontline in health so fair play to him. Who cares what he went out in, at least he went.

Little CuChulainn

foreign wrote: »

He has been criticised for not going to see the frontline in health so fair play to him. Who cares what he went out in, at least he went.

It matters because if he is only in the nice vehicle with the good equipment and being given the juicier calls to attend then he is not experiencing some of the major issues facing the staff.

shampon

Little CuChulainn wrote: »

It matters because if he is only in the nice vehicle with the good equipment and being given the juicier calls to attend then he is not experiencing some of the major issues facing the staff.

At least the poor ****er is trying...

Little CuChulainn

shampon wrote: »

At least the poor ****er is trying...

I'm not criticising him. Those kind of decisions would be made by management. Hide the dirt so it looks like they run a clean ship.

In my previous job, I met a few politicians in one of those rare settings where they're not trying to punt a vote or get something for being a politician. Leo struck me as a sharp man. Not salt of the earth, but no airs & graces bull that you'd get with some. I'm not surprised to see this.

Little CuChulainn

Little CuChulainn wrote: »

I'm not criticising him. Those kind of decisions would be made by management. Hide the dirt so it looks like they run a clean ship.

Again it doesn't matter if he's going around on a horse or a ministerial merc, unless the shift was flooded with people on OT he is going to see the crap faced by crews. he'll hear the controllers looking for units to go to calls, see the crews held up in ed's.

shampon

foreign wrote: »

Again it doesn't matter if he's going around on a horse or a ministerial merc, unless the shift was flooded with people on OT he is going to see the crap faced by crews. he'll hear the controllers looking for units to go to calls, see the crews held up in ed's.

Spot on.

No manner of SMT bull**** would cover up the ****e the crews / controllers / staff are facing.

flazio

From what I can see he went out in an RRV, so he was paired with an Advanced Paramedic going to more serious calls. Yes, it's likely that jeep would have gotten a bit more of a vacuuming then normal.
A regular ambulance would have been called to scene as well and I doubt that ambulance would have even been aware that the minister would be at the scene, never mind equipped with all the bells and whistles.
As said before, not seen (Doctor) James Reilly or Mary Harney even attempt to see things from the front line so publicity stunt or not, it was still a good move. Shame his tenure is likely to be short lived.

timmywex

Fair play to him - very few politicians spend their Saturday night doing something like this.

Some people saying it was a PR stunt and such things - certainly don't think so - seemed a bit shocked that someone did grab a photo of him.

seamus

I'd be very surprised if they would "save" his ambulance for meatier calls. If there's an emergency to attend to and that's the only vehicle available they're not going to say, "Nah, that's in Fettercairn, let's hang around 30 minutes to see if another vehicle becomes free".

Bang Bang

Firstly I am not a supporter of the minister or indeed the party he represents, but I have to hand it to him that he made an effort to get a glimpse or insight into what goes on at the frontline. Whether someone wants to believe that he would only be responding to the 'juicy' calls is a matter for themselves.

For your information, Minister Varadkar accompanied Dr. Cathal O'Donnell in an RRV, Dr. O'Connell is the medical director of the NAS and has no bias or preference as to what calls he responds to, or indeed the location of the call.

If you feel that the minister may be sheltered from the clapped out vehicles that can be seen in places, well he did not have a say in which ambulance crew or vehicle he responded with or who may have responded to support him. Likewise when in the control room it was without bias, he was not sheltered from any calls and had the option to see, hear or learn about all types of calls dealt with by ambulance crews and indeed ambulance control.

I wonder will we see the Minister for Justice spend next Saturday night walking the beat or responding to calls in Garda car...... mmmm...

Little CuChulainn

foreign wrote: »

Again it doesn't matter if he's going around on a horse or a ministerial merc, unless the shift was flooded with people on OT he is going to see the crap faced by crews. he'll hear the controllers looking for units to go to calls, see the crews held up in ed's.

I disagree. OT would hide the staff shortages. Sending him on the good calls would hide the time wasters who call an ambulance instead of a taxi. Sending him in an advanced paramedic car shields him from the bumpy ride back to the hospital.

sjb25

Honestly don't like FG but he seems alright don't really think it was a PR stunt he didn't come out and say look what I'm doing/did somebody snapped a picture of him

As has been said he was in a response car so would have been sent to any call that they would be needed at so don't think they would be shielding him from anything
I think fair play to him for making an effort to go an see for himself
I do think he should of went for a hole shift not just three hours but other than that fair play to him I think anyway

Little CuChulainn

Little CuChulainn wrote: »

I disagree. OT would hide the staff shortages. Sending him on the good calls would hide the time wasters who call an ambulance instead of a taxi. Sending him in an advanced paramedic car shields him from the bumpy ride back to the hospital.

Re the OT issue, that's what I said.

If he is in the back of an ambulance he'd be in the way.

Would you have preferred that he didn't go out and just relied on reports to know what is going on?

Little CuChulainn

foreign wrote: »

Re the OT issue, that's what I said.

If he is in the back of an ambulance he'd be in the way.

Would you have preferred that he didn't go out and just relied on reports to know what is going on?

I'd prefer he has been given the full frontline experience.

Little CuChulainn

Little CuChulainn wrote: »

I'd prefer he has been given the full frontline experience.

In fairness, I think if if he did, there'd be *something* you'd be unhappy about. Or there'd be some conspiracy theory you'd be throwing up to prove that he really didn't.

Your mind was made up long before you read this, and you feel the need to bring this into your reality of "they don't care". I get that. That's your world view & you're entitled to have it & express it.

Little CuChulainn

Deleted User wrote: »

In fairness, I think if if he did, there'd be *something* you'd be unhappy about. Or there'd be some conspiracy theory you'd be throwing up to prove that he really didn't.

Your mind was made up long before you read this, and you feel the need to bring this into your reality of "they don't care". I get that. That's your world view & you're entitled to have it & express it.

What the hell are you talking about? I'm blaming management, not the minister.

Sorry LC, disregard that. I missed some of your earlier comments, o misread your entire thought process. Too cynical for my own good!