The Down Community Health Committee is concerned at the deteriorating Category 1 ambulance service response times in the East Down area
The Down Community Health Committee (DCHC) has responded to a Freedom of Information Request from the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service on ambulance response times.
The DCHC has described the news that ambulance response times to Category 1 cases as “deeply disappointing,” adding that “this is the most serious category of ambulance calls which has deteriorated still further in the Downpatrick, Slieve Croob and Mourne District Electoral Areas in 2023, compared to 2022.”
Mrs Anne Trainor, DCHC vice chairperson said that the response to a Freedom of Information request sent by the Down Community Health Committee to the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service Trust makes for “yet more depressing reading”.
She added: “It is surprising that, at a time when the regional and Council area response times have shown a further improvement, Downpatrick, Slieve Croob and the Mournes have all shown a further deterioration, meaning that response times locally are even worse, in absolute and relative terms.”
Aidan Harris, local campaigner, pointed out the peculiarity of the difference in response times.
He said: “So far in 2023 whilst regional response times have improved to 10 minutes and 40 seconds and the response time in Newry and Mourne overall has improved to 15 minutes and 58
seconds, the Downpatrick District Electoral Area is 18 minutes and 20 seconds, in the Mourne DEA is 22 minutes and
19 seconds and that in Slieve Croob is 18 minutes and 19 seconds.
“These times reflect deteriorations and are unacceptable.
“The performance and the trend in the three local DEA’s is just not good enough”, said Mr Harris.
Health campaign group Chairperson, Eamonn McGrady, added: “The current political impasse
sees a business case for additional resources for the Ambulance Trust stuck in an administrative
logjam, awaiting ministerial approval.
“We have no doubt that that delay in essential investment has serious consequences on a daily basis
for local patients.
“When that investment comes, some of it must be used to address the deplorable service deficit, suffered specially by our local communities.
“Local politicians are expected by our community to deliver on this crucial issue.
“If they do not, cannot or will not, then that must be exposed to our increasingly frustrated community that looks
enviously at the ongoing and massive investment in health services in other areas.
“It is time to address the deficit in service provision for our area.”
In a strongly worded statement, the Down Community Health Committee said: “The people of East Down pay for and expect the very same standard of service as that available across the rest of the region.
“The sooner we have a rights-based entitlement framework to be the bulwark in the battle against the discrimination in favour of the Golden Hospitals, the better.
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