Permanent air ambulance service established

Following a lengthy trial period, the Emergency Aeromedical Support Service has now officially been made permanent.

Ministers for Defence and Health, Simon Coveney and Leo Varadkar, announced the establishment of the Emergency Aeromedical Support Service on a permanent basis in a joint statement today. This very valuable service ensures that seriously ill or injured people in remoter areas have timely access to appropriate high quality clinical care.

The Air Corps provide the crews from ‘Number 3 Operations Wing’ to fly and maintain an Agusta Westland AW139 helicopter, which is based at Custume Barracks in Athlone. The National Ambulance Service provides the onboard Advanced Paramedic.

The Emergency Service is tasked by the National Aeromedical Coordination Centre which is based in the National Emergency Operation Centre in Tallaght. The NAS operates a permanent support team for the EAS including a dedicated air medical liaison officer, education and training officer and a number of aeromedical advanced paramedics who crew the aircraft on a rotation basis.

The National Ambulance Service (NAS) and the Air Corps have operated the service on a pilot basis since mid-2012.  The Irish Coast Guard provides back up support.  The EAS has completed over 1,055 missions to date including 323 STEMI heart attack patients, who must get to a primary PCI lab within 90 minutes for effective treatment. The service is targeted mainly at western counties.

A cross sectoral working group has examined ways to provide a permanent dedicated service. Both Ministers have considered the Group’s report, and it has been agreed to establish a permanent service continuing the current service model.  However, they have committed to an ongoing review of the operation, so as to ensure a sustainable, long term service arrangement.

Welcoming the move, Minister Varadkar said, “I’m delighted that the Government has agreed to put the Emergency Aeromedical Support Service on a permanent footing. It’s a great example of co-operation across Government and it shows what can be achieved by using existing resources, even following a deep financial crisis. The service has been great for patients and ensures that those in remoter areas, particularly in the west, have timely access to specialised treatment available in the larger hospitals.  A third of the missions were in response to STEMI heart attacks, allowing patients to be treated in a specialist setting within 90 minutes of diagnosis. The collaboration between the NAS and Air Corps has been quite remarkable.”

Minister Coveney praised the National Ambulance Service and the Defence Forces “in providing such a valuable service to people in rural communities. The professionalism and commitment of the Air Corps in providing a dedicated helicopter service to date has been exemplary. I know that level of dedication will continue into the future as the service is placed on a sustainable footing.”