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Third of ambulances unfit for purpose
02/05/2008
One in three ambulances in Northern Ireland have been found to be unfit for purpose because they are too old, according to the Department of Health.
The BBC reports that figures obtained by the South Down MLA Jim Wells show that a third of ambulances in the province are older than the recommended five years old.
Figures show that nine vehicles are breaking the guidelines - which were set by an ambulance advisory group - and 12 vehicles in Northern Ireland have been on the roads for nine years.
Authorities in Newry, Larne, Carrickfergus, Ballycastle, Ballymena, Enniskillen, Limavady and Dungannon all have ambulances which have driven more than 200,000 miles, the BBC reports.
Mr Wells told the corporation that these figures, obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, raise "serious questions" which need to be addresses.
He questioned "the capacity of our ambulance fleet to respond to emergencies such as road accidents or house fires in a satisfactory and speedy manner".
Solicitors in Northern Ireland can offer advice to those wanting to make a medical negligence claim.
According to the NHS, there was an 89.6 per cent rise in the number of UK emergency calls in the decade following 1996-97.
Contact us for legal advice
The BBC reports that figures obtained by the South Down MLA Jim Wells show that a third of ambulances in the province are older than the recommended five years old.
Figures show that nine vehicles are breaking the guidelines - which were set by an ambulance advisory group - and 12 vehicles in Northern Ireland have been on the roads for nine years.
Authorities in Newry, Larne, Carrickfergus, Ballycastle, Ballymena, Enniskillen, Limavady and Dungannon all have ambulances which have driven more than 200,000 miles, the BBC reports.
Mr Wells told the corporation that these figures, obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, raise "serious questions" which need to be addresses.
He questioned "the capacity of our ambulance fleet to respond to emergencies such as road accidents or house fires in a satisfactory and speedy manner".
Solicitors in Northern Ireland can offer advice to those wanting to make a medical negligence claim.
According to the NHS, there was an 89.6 per cent rise in the number of UK emergency calls in the decade following 1996-97.
Contact us for legal advice
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