Communique re cancellation of low acuity outpatient clinic ambulance transport

“Like much of the wider health service, the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service HSC Trust is currently under significant pressure. Apart from significant staff abstractions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, operationally we are experiencing long turnaround delays in acute hospitals due to wider system pressures. Delays subsequently impact on our ability to respond to 999 calls in the community in a timely manner. 

Given the heightened Covid-19 alert status and ongoing pandemic management arrangements, alongside annual winter pressures, we have reluctantly concluded that we need to focus our resources on high acuity, urgent and emergency workload. The impact of this decision is that we are ceasing delivery of low acuity outpatient transport services and transferring the associated Patient Care Service (PCS) ambulances to A&E Support work. “