HSE defends sending helicopters to Aran Islands to rescue tourist

The Health Service Executive (HSE) West has defended a decision to deploy two successive Irish Coast Guard helicopters to the Aran island of Inis Mór for an injured tourist who could have been transported to hospital at a fraction of the cost on a commuter flight.

The incident occurred last weekend when a visitor in her late 70s broke an ankle up at the Dún Aengus fort on Inis Mór. The woman was given a full leg splint by island GP Dr Marion Broderick, who requested transport to hospital on a commuter plane as she was not seriously injured.

Aer Arann flies regularly between the islands and Inverin in south Connemara, about 45 minutes by road from University College Hospital, Galway.

However, national ambulance control informed the GP that it had no contract with Aer Arann and a helicopter would be sent for the patient.

An Irish Coast Guard Sikorsky from Shannon was deployed, and was en route to Inis Mór when it was diverted to Kerry to assist a diver.

Four flights

A second Irish Coast Guard helicopter was then sent from Waterford and flew the woman to hospital. During that time four Aer Arann flights had flown in and from the island.

The cost of the entire response has been estimated at €7,000, based on the average cost of helicopters at €2,300 per hour, compared to €400 at most for a chartered flight.

Island co-op manager Cathy Gill of Comharcumann Forbartha Arann Teo described it as a ridiculous waste of resources, and one which also left south coast air-sea rescue cover exposed on a bank holiday Saturday.

Medical evacuations

“We are delighted with the service we get from the Irish Coast Guard and

Defence Forces

for medical evacuations but in this case it wasn’t required. We had been able to use Aer Arann for non-critical cases up to several years ago, when the agreement with the HSE was discontinued. Is it a case that the HSE doesn’t want to spend money, but doesn’t care how much it costs other departments?”

HSE West said it had access to two services when an emergency 999/112 call is received – the Irish Coast Guard air rescue service and the HSE/Department of Justice Medevac service, both of which have trained emergency staff and life-saving equipment.

It said it has a service level agreement with the Departments of Health and Defence for the air ambulance service provided by the Air Corps.

“The air response requires that the patient is treated by qualified paramedics with access to the required equipment and drugs,” HSE West said. “The air response also ensures that the patient is transferred immediately to the nearest appropriate hospital and not to the location of a commercial airport.”