Letter from the Chairman

This is the last Newsletter of my Chairmanship having served 2 full terms, of 4 years each, by the end of June. As part of its commitment to best practice in governance, Council will be reflecting on the achievements and challenges of PHECC’s first 8 years. A review of Council, Committee and Working Group roles and membership has also been carried out. Through these means, Council hopes to ensure continuance of governance and a smooth transition to the incoming Council.


Sentinel achievements include:

  • The commencement of the 6th only statutory health professional register after Doctors, Nurses, Dentists, Opticians and Pharmacists; there are now over 2,000 registrants.
  • The first Advanced Paramedics in Ireland graduated in 2005 and we now have 117 (April 2008) in number nationally.
  • The implementation of the PHECC Standards that ascribe training and education requirements in 6 levels across the broad range of responders (Cardiac First Response, Occupational First Aid, Emergency First Response) and registered pre-hospital emergency care practitioners (Emergency Medical Technician, Paramedic, Advanced Paramedic).
  • Standards have been commissioned for Controller training.
  • PHECC has been conducting national examinations for Paramedics since 2002 and Advanced Paramedics since 2005 and in 2008 is conducting examinations across all levels of Responder and Practitioner
  • The Clinical Practice Guidelines published for EMT, Paramedic and Advanced Paramedic practice have been developedand expanded to guide practice across the 6 levels of the new Education and Training Standards and will be published in 2008.
  • The national project, Medical Emergency Responders Integration & Training, (MERIT) has been rolled out by University College Dublin (UCD) to facilitate appropriate roles for General Practitioners in pre-hospital care, in collaboration with Ambulance Services, and in 2008 will be active in all HSE areas.
  
  • PHECC has continued with its programme of spatial analysis research to guide optimal deployment of ambulances, Advanced Paramedics and Responders.
  • The national electronic Patient Care Report (ePCR) is now being implemented in the HSE NE Area with plans for national implementation.
  • The establishment of an Out-of- Hospital Cardiac Arrest Register (OHCAR) in association with the HSE and the University of Galway.
  • The establishment of a prehospital research centre in conjunction with the University of Limerick.
  • The establishment of the Critical Incident Stress Management Research Project, in association with the HSE, the National Partnership Forum and NUI Maynooth.
  • Continued engagement occurs with the private, voluntary and auxiliary sectors involved in pre-hospital care. 

My appreciation goes out to the members of Council and the various Committees, the Director and all the PHECC team for their enthusiasm and efforts and to the Department of Health and Children for their continued support and funding. In particular I wish to acknowledge the overwhelming support given to PHECC by Ambulance Service management, by the emerging profession of pre-hospital emergency care practitioners and by the unions.