HSE DEFENSD USE OF AIR CORPS TO TRANSPORT ARAN ISLAND PATIENTS

Date Published: 17-Apr-2008

The Health Service Executive West is defending criticism of its use of the Air Corps Aircraft to ferry patients with non-life threatening injuries from the Aran islands.The HSE has the option of using Aer Arann's services to transport patients from the Islands, which it's claimed is a cheaper option.It costs the HSE 400 euro to hire an Aer Arann aircraft to transport patients with non-life threatening injuries from the Aran Islands to Inverin Airport.The cost of launching the Air Corps Aircraft from Baldonnell to transport patients is allegedly much higher.Defending it's use of the Air Corps aircraft, the HSE states that the aircraft has a full range of medical equipment on board and can land directly at hospitals.