WHAT HAPPENED TO THE AMBULANCE SERVICES CO MONAGHAN WERE PROMISED?

PETER HUGHES

Local councillors in Monaghan want answers as to why promised ambulance service improvements for the county have never materialised. At the time of the controversy over the downgrading of Monaghan General Hospital, there was much talk of enhanced ambulance service provision – of ambulances with midwives and ambulances with paramedics – that would cushion the blow of the hospital being stripped of services. While there was disagreement at Monday’s meeting of the Monaghan Municipal District as to whether this talk took the form of firm commitments or mere proposals, the elected members agreed that the National Ambulance Service should come to a future meeting of Monaghan Co Council and explain what happened to the ambulances that never arrived.

The debate took place in the context of ongoing public concern about incidents where people have had to wait for hours for an ambulance to arrive from another county to respond to a medical emergency occurrence in Monaghan. Referring at Monday’s MD meeting to correspondence which had been received from the Health Minister’s office, Paudge Connolly (Independent) said it was in response to an enquiry forwarded 11 months ago which arose in relation to two instances of poor ambulance response to medical emergencies in the Monaghan area. Regrettably, the letter ignored the specific issues raised.

“They see this as a PR opportunity to tell you what is happening with the National Ambulance Service,” Councillor Connolly stated. He said that both the National Ambulance Service and the HSE had given very specific commitments in the past in relation to ambulance services in Monaghan, and these had been ignored in the response. When services began to be removed from Monaghan Hospital, they were told that an ambulance staffed by a midwife would be available on call in Monaghan, and a commitment was also given when Monaghan Hospital was taken off call that an ambulance staffed by a paramedic would be available.

“That commitment has fallen by the wayside,” Councillor Connolly stated. He proposed that the Municipal District write to the National Ambulance Service reminding them that these commitments were given; and that they seek a meeting with the head of the National Ambulance Service to ascertain where these commitments now stood.

“Monaghan is the go-to place at the weekend when ambulances are needed in other areas and this has to stop,” Councillor Connolly added. He said that efforts were currently underway to close the Emergency Department at Navan Hospital and “every commitment under the sun” was currently being made in relation to replacement services there. Brian McKenna (Sinn Féin) recalled this issue being raised at Monaghan Co Council level and a proposal going forward asking the National Ambulance Service to attend a future Co Council meeting. NAS representatives subsequently attended…