Senator Frank Feighan has welcomed the HSE’s introduction of a new air ambulance service specifically for patients here requiring life-saving transplants in another country.
“Responding to a clear need, the Health Service Executive has now put in place a 24 hour private air ambulance service for patients who need to be transferred abroad at night for life-saving transplants.
“Many of the patients in these cases are children, who need to be transported to the UK within eight hours for heart or liver transplants.
“This service is another welcome development alongside the current air ambulance service – or Emergency Aeromedical Service (EAS) as it is formally known – which is saving lives across the country almost every day of the week,
“Since the EAS was established at Custume Barracks five years ago, it has carried out in the region of 2,000 emergency missions and the highest demand for the service comes from Roscommon, Galway and Mayo.
“From Ballaghaderreen to Ballyleague and from Athlone to Arigna, countless lives in Roscommon have been saved and this lifesaving service centres on bringing the hospital to the patient in an emergency situation.
“I now want to again warmly welcome the additional private air ambulance service which will address emergency cases requiring life-saving transplants in another country.”
