HSE National Ambulance Service
Encyclopedia
The HSE National Ambulance Service is the statutory public ambulance
service in the Republic of Ireland. The service is operated by the National Hospitals Office of the Health Service Executive
, the Irish national healthcare authority.
. Prior to this, the statutory health authorities (i.e. the health board
s) each provided ambulance services for their functional area. In some regions the service was tendered to private companies, in others the health board operated the service itself. The National Ambulance Training School was renamed the National Ambulance Service College
to reflect the new organisational structure.
on the sides.
is contracted by the HSE to provide 11 emergency ambulances for the city and county in addition to the HSE emergency ambulances available.
Ambulance
An ambulance is a vehicle for transportation of sick or injured people to, from or between places of treatment for an illness or injury, and in some instances will also provide out of hospital medical care to the patient...
service in the Republic of Ireland. The service is operated by the National Hospitals Office of the Health Service Executive
Health Service Executive
The Health Service Executive is responsible for the provision of healthcare providing health and personal social services for everyone living in Ireland, with public funds. The Executive was established by the Health Act, 2004 and came into official operation on January 1, 2005...
, the Irish national healthcare authority.
History
The National Ambulance Service was established in 2005 as part of the Health Service ExecutiveHealth Service Executive
The Health Service Executive is responsible for the provision of healthcare providing health and personal social services for everyone living in Ireland, with public funds. The Executive was established by the Health Act, 2004 and came into official operation on January 1, 2005...
. Prior to this, the statutory health authorities (i.e. the health board
Health board
Health board might mean in the following countries a current or historical body concerned with health services and/or public health.*Australia*Canada*Denmark - a National Board of Health*England - a Board of Health...
s) each provided ambulance services for their functional area. In some regions the service was tendered to private companies, in others the health board operated the service itself. The National Ambulance Training School was renamed the National Ambulance Service College
National Ambulance Service College
The National Ambulance Service College is a state-recognised educational institution of Ireland. It was first established in 1986 as the National Ambulance Training School and is based at St. Mary's Hospital in the Phoenix Park, Dublin with a second campus based in Ballinasloe, Co. Galway known as...
to reflect the new organisational structure.
Uniform
The operational uniform consists of green combat trousers with a white open-neck shirt bearing the HSE logo and ambulance service crest as well as high visibility outerwear for night time and poor visibility conditions. The dress uniform is navy blue with a blue shirt and peaked cap.Vehicles
All National Ambulance Service vehicles are coloured a distinctive pale yellow with a double row of green and yellow battenburg markingsBattenburg markings
Battenburg refers to a pattern of high-visibility markings used to maximise conspicuity, primarily used on vehicles of the emergency services, but also in other applications such as uniforms...
on the sides.
Emergency Ambulance Service
Emergency ambulance services are provided by the HSE National Ambulance Service throughout the Republic of Ireland. In the Greater Dublin area the Dublin Fire Brigade Ambulance ServiceDublin Fire Brigade
The Dublin Fire Brigade is the local authority fire and rescue service for Dublin City and the majority of the Greater Dublin Area. It is a branch of Dublin City Council. There are currently 14 fire stations manned by DFB, 12 of which are full-time, the other 2 are part-time or "retained"....
is contracted by the HSE to provide 11 emergency ambulances for the city and county in addition to the HSE emergency ambulances available.
| HSE Ambulance Call Response Classifications | ||
| AS1/Code 1 | 999 emergency call warranting immediate response | |
| AS2/Code 2 | Call transferred from GP/community nurse warranting urgent response | |
| AS3/Code 3 | Inter-hospital transfer of patients to specialist facilities | |
| PTS | Community transfer service for patients requiring scheduled in-hospital care | |
Volunteer Ambulance Services
In addition to the National Ambulance Service, a number of volunteer organisations operate ambulance services in Ireland primarily providing first aid cover at community and public events:- Civil DefenceCivil Defence IrelandCivil Defence Ireland is the national civil defence organisation of the Republic of Ireland. It is operated at local authority level in conjunction with the Department of Defence....
- Red CrossIrish Red CrossThe Irish Red Cross Society , commonly referred to as the Irish Red Cross , is the National Red Cross Society in the Republic of Ireland. It was established by Nurse Elizabeth O'Herrin either on 1 July or 1 August 1939 on the approach of the Second World War...
- Order of Malta Ambulance CorpsOrder of Malta Ambulance CorpsThe Order of Malta Ambulance Corps is the largest voluntary ambulance and first aid organisation of its kind in Ireland. The Order of Malta is engaged in teaching first aid, providing ambulance cover at large events, patient transport, community and nursing services...
- St. John Ambulance Brigade of IrelandSt. John Ambulance Brigade of IrelandThe St. John Ambulance Brigade of Ireland is a charitable voluntary organisation in the Republic of Ireland. For constitutional reasons it is not a full member association of the Venerable Order of Saint John and the international St. John Ambulance movement, but rather is classed as an...
Private Ambulance Services
A number of commercial ambulance providers operate services under contract to the HSE. These companies primarily carry out patient transport work alongside the National Ambulance Service:- Elite Ambulance Services
- Lifeline Ambulance Services
- Medicall Ambulance Service
See also
- PHECCPHECCThe Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council is an independent statutory organisation responsible for implementing, monitoring and further developing the standards of care provided by all statutory, private and voluntary ambulance services in the Republic of Ireland...
- National Ambulance Service CollegeNational Ambulance Service CollegeThe National Ambulance Service College is a state-recognised educational institution of Ireland. It was first established in 1986 as the National Ambulance Training School and is based at St. Mary's Hospital in the Phoenix Park, Dublin with a second campus based in Ballinasloe, Co. Galway known as...
- Health care in the Republic of IrelandHealth care in the Republic of IrelandThe public health care system of Ireland is governed by the Health Act 2004, which established a new body to be responsible for providing health and personal social services to everyone living in Ireland - the Health Service Executive...
- Northern Ireland Ambulance ServiceNorthern Ireland Ambulance ServiceThe Northern Ireland Ambulance Service is the ambulance service that serves the whole of Northern Ireland. As with other ambulance services in the United Kingdom, it does not charge its patients directly for its services, but instead receives funding through general taxation...