BY MARK MCKELVEY
m.mckelvey@ulsterherald.com
DESCRIBING the Ambulance Service as a "lifeline" for people living in Tyrone, a local DUP Assembly member has urged the Health Minister not to cut this vital service anymore.
Tom Buchanan was expressing his support to a motion in the Stormont chamber on Tuesday calling for them minister to find savings elsewhere and to agree not to reduce the ambulance cover.
Mr Buchanan took this opportunity to highlight yet further that Tyrone is the only county in Northern Ireland without an acute-hospital facility, and the grave concerns regarding this for just medical staff, consultants and patients but also elected representatives, stating that, "Tyrone people must now depend only on the Ambulance Service".
In addressing the chamber Mr Buchanan said, "Ambulance provision is a lifeline for people in isolated, rural communities who live some way from the nearest hospital. I come from a rural community in County Tyrone. Tyrone is the largest county in Northern Ireland, containing approximately 166,000 people, yet the Minister has stripped it of all acute hospital services. Consequently, the Ambulance Service is the only lifeline for the residents of west Tyrone, and that concerns people throughout the county.
"People in Omagh were assured that a proper ambulance service would be put in place before the removal of acute-hospital services. Sadly, that assurance was put on paper but not into action. Without the necessary life-saving services, people in west Tyrone, and further afield, will be vulnerable.
"Given that my rural constituency is now so dependent on its much-needed ambulance service, I urge the minister not to cut it any further."
With the announcement last week by the Minister that investments of £17 million will be pumped into upgrading the Ambulance Service fleets, Mr Buchanan expressed his concern that much of this money will be used to purchase rapid-response vehicles that he says, "will put people's lives at risk".
Mr Buchanan continued by explaining why he does not feel this is the way forward.
"At the scene of an accident in a rural community, a rapid-response vehicle would offer no more than a large box of medical equipment — it would not be able to move a patient from the scene. Another ambulance would have to attend in order to move a person who might be severely injured. Therefore, it would be better if fully equipped ambulances were put in place rather than rapid-response vehicles.
