Staff in the National Ambulance Service save lives every day and must be supported, a Kerry general election candidate has insisted.
Cllr Michael Cahill said that it was reassuring to learn that, despite claims to the contrary, there are not and never were any service reduction plans for the HSE South West region.
In reply to a query regarding ambulance cover in Kerry, which Cahill submitted recently, the National Ambulance Service said 32 additional paramedics have been deployed in the South West region, since September 2023, to ensure approved rosters and leave were covered by staff.
“This is at odds with reports I had received from staff members who felt rosters were being altered, putting additional commitments on already overworked staff,” said the Fianna Fáil election candidate.
“Our ambulance service and our staff must be protected at all times,” he stressed.
In a letter to Kerry County Council, the National Ambulance Service (NAS) said demand via the 999 service has increased by 25 per cent since 2019, with growth in 2024 up by up to nine per cent on 2023.
“The NAS recognises the need for growth in the workforce nationally as is evident in the NAS Workforce Plan 2022-2028. There is no reduction of NAS services currently taking place or planned in the HSE South West region.
“The HSE has deployed additional staff over the last 12 months,” the letter confirmed.
While local line managers continue to manage the daily challenges associated with gaps in rosters resulting from very high levels of staff absence, the HSE has identified the need for additional scrutiny and oversight on how the additional staffing provided has been deployed.
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