Concern over ageing Ards ambulance fleet

Thursday, May 08, 2008

By Michael Bashford

Figures released by Health Minister Michael McGimpsey revealed that of the five ambulances based at Newtownards ambulance station, four have recorded over 150,000 miles — one of which has travelled 192,004 miles. All of the ambulances have travelled over 100,000 miles and Newtownards has not had a new ambulance for five years.

Councillor Michelle McIlveen, who obtained the figures following parliamentary questions to Mr McGimpsey, expressed deep concern at the statistics.

“These five ambulances are the vehicles used for such emergency callouts,” she said. “What makes this situation more concerning is that Newtownards ambulance station is not alone in this. The ambulance fleet across Northern Ireland is urgently in need of replacement. There is obviously a correlation between older ambulances with greater mileage and a greater risk of breakdown.

“Newtownards station serves a rural constituency and the concern must be that if an ambulance were to breakdown en route to an emergency how much time would be lost sending out a replacement and the heightened risk to the person they were tasked to assist. The vital role carried by crew should not be potentially hampered by ageing vehicles.”

Councillor Simon Hamilton said the figures “gives us all cause for grave concern about the safety and reliability of the ambulances serving Ards”.

“The problem that these numbers highlight is exacerbated in an area like Ards where so many places are rural and remote in the Peninsula,” he said. “The Minister must now outline a plan as to how he intends to replace these old and over the hill ambulances.”

Mr McGimpsey said the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) was currently preparing a Fleet Strategy “which will determine the replacement cycle for its A&E ambulances during the lifetime of the current Investment Strategy for Northern Ireland”.

A statement from the NIAS described the situation as “less than ideal”. However it said it was important that it was put into context.

“In 2007/08 NIAS responded to 111,000 emergency calls which was an increase of eight percent on 2006/07,” it said.

“NIAS also improved its response performance

by reaching 69 percent of Category A (immediately life threatening) calls within the eight minute target in February 2008, compared to a performance of 55 percent in 2006/07.

“NIAS remains committed to providing the highest quality of pre hospital care to all who are in need of our service and this includes ensuring that vehicles are kept in as good a condition as possible.”