North Clare Councillor Confident New Paramedic Apprenticeship Will Improve Emergency Response Times

A North Clare Councillor believes a new apprenticeship programme for paramedics will serve to significantly improve the county's emergency response times. The Public Sector Apprenticeship Plan, launched this week, will aim to achieve 750 registrations per annum by 2025 across a wide range of disciplines including healthcare assistant and paramedic roles. Last year, 34% of ambulances dispatched in the MidWest region took more than an hour to handover their patients, compared to just 15% in 2019. Lahinch Green Party Councillor and qualified Emergency Medical Technician Liam Grant says it's vital that entry to the profession becomes more accessible.