Critical that additional ambulance services for Mayo are urgently delivered - TD

A Mayo TD has called for urgent action on ambulance delays in Mayo, saying it is beyond critical that promised additional resources are urgently delivered without delay, and warned that people must be able to trust that help will arrive in an emergency.

Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh said: “I am contacted several times each week by patients and their families with stories of lengthy ambulance delays that are impacting health outcomes.

"This is extremely concerning and shows the severe pressure the ambulance service is facing right across the county.

“I want to commend existing ambulance crews and paramedics, who are already fully stretched and working under extreme stress.

"The problem is not frontline staff, but the failure to address the lack of resources.

“I have got commitments from the Minister for Health for additional paramedic posts in Castlebar and Belmullet, two hospital ambulance liaison supervisor posts at Mayo University Hospital, and a new helicopter emergency medical service for the west and north west.

"These are all welcome, but it is critical that we see a clear timeline for delivery.

“Communities need certainty that this additional cover will become operational without further delay and that it will make a real difference to the current unsustainable ambulance wait times being experienced across County Mayo.”