SIPTU members concerned over National Ambulance Service move to Level 3 surge capacity

SIPTU and Irish Ambulance Representative Council (IARC) representatives have today (Friday, 31st December) expressed concerns over the decision to move to Level 3 surge capacity due to extreme pressure on the National Ambulance Service (NAS).

SIPTU Ambulance Sector Organiser, Ted Kenny said: “Our members are working night and day to alleviate the pressure on the service and it is vital that the public do all they can to support them. The NAS has four levels of surge escalation. We are now at Level 3 which is quite rare. Nobody wants to go to Level 4. The Health Service Executive (HSE) must do all it can to prevent that from happening. The shortfall in capacity is stark and while the HSE can utilise external providers, like the army, fire service, voluntary and private services to help plug the gaps and fill the shortfalls in the immediate term, this is not a long term solution to the capacity issues facing our members and the NAS as a whole. We all know the pressures on the service have sharply increased over the last number of years, yet staffing levels and resources have not kept pace with the demand.”

Irish Ambulance Representative Council (IARC) Chairman, Peter Ray, said: “Our members are urging the public to consider all options before calling for an ambulance and that people should only call for an ambulance in emergency situations. Meanwhile, we wish all our members in the NAS who are currently out of work due to contracting Covid-19 a full and speedy recovery.”