The whole health system is to blame for delays, not just ambulances

A letter from Val Young:
By Letters
Published 16th Apr 2022, 06:27 BST
Updated 16th Apr 2022, 06:35 BST
Ambulances are often put out of action because they cannot hand over their patient. In this library picture, ambulances at the entrance to the emergency department at Antrim Area Hospital are seen with a number of the vehicles with patients awaiting to be admittedAmbulances are often put out of action because they cannot hand over their patient. In this library picture, ambulances at the entrance to the emergency department at Antrim Area Hospital are seen with a number of the vehicles with patients awaiting to be admitted
Ambulances are often put out of action because they cannot hand over their patient. In this library picture, ambulances at the entrance to the emergency department at Antrim Area Hospital are seen with a number of the vehicles with patients awaiting to be admitted

Jody Keenan, a 39-year-old woman who died on Sunday in Newry, had been waiting for paramedics to arrive, and had a considerable wait as there were no crews available, the nearest being Belfast.

The blame for this cannot be put solely at the Ambulance Service, but at the whole health system, especially the handover times at hospitals, where ambulances are put out of action because they cannot hand over their patient (as pictured at Antrim Area).

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Sometimes I wonder if spare paramedics were stationed at the A&E, if there was a long waiting time, to be able to release the ambulance back into service, the crew member with the patient will stay with them, and the spare paramedic will then take the place to enable the ambulance back on the road.

Letter to the editorLetter to the editor
Letter to the editor

But why do we have five Health and Social Care Trusts in Northern Ireland, surely somewhere the size of Northern should have only one? It would reduce costs for the extra management, freeing up money for extra medical staff. After all the PSNI have only one body and the Education Authority have gone to one.

Val Young, Carrickfergus

Related topics:BelfastNewryAmbulance serviceNorthern IrelandEducation Authority