The Minister for Health is being asked to urgently intervene on what are being described as ‘disproportionate’ ambulance delays throughout Clare.
It follows a Tulla woman’s five and a half hour wait for an ambulance at her local health centre earlier this week.
The East Clare resident is understood to have waited from 11.30am for an ambulance at the local health centre on Tuesday, which didn’t arrive until around 5pm.
It’s understood she subsequently received treatment at University Hospital Limerick.
It’s led to calls for a full review into ambulance services in the Midwest from Clare’s Fianna Fail Senator.
National policy currently tasks ambulances to callouts where immediately needed, with vehicles based in Clare assisting in matters in counties as far away as Kerry and Cork.
Timmy Dooley wants HSE policy to be amended to ensure Clare has dedicated ambulances on standby 24/7.
Senator Dooley believes designated vehicles for each county are now urgently required.
The HSE has told Clare FM while it cannot comment on individual cases, the National Ambulance Service continues to experience a ‘surge in demand’.
It says current demand still exceeds pre-pandemic levels and that available resources are prioritised to ensure those with life threatening injuries or conditions receive the fastest response possible.
Wait times experienced in East Clare are said to have been mirrored for patients in the West of the county.
Kilrush-based Independent Councillor Ian Lynch believes rural areas are being unfairly impacted by the current system.
