Injured Laois GAA hurler forced to wait on ambulance due to 'very high demand' for services

Senan Barrett and Paddy Hassett during Friday's game. Photo: Paul Dargan

placeholder image — Senan Barrett and Paddy Hassett during Friday's game. Photo: Paul Dargan

The Health Service Executive has confirmed that the 40-minute wait time for an ambulance to arrive in Laois Hire O'Moore Park on Friday evening was down to the fact that they were experiencing very high demand for 112/999 services for patients with life-threatening injuries and illnesses.

Rathdowney-Errill's Jordie Kavanagh suffered a serious leg injury on the field against Clonaslee St Manman's which saw their Premier Intermediate Hurling quarter-final replay abandoned after it was established that there was a considerable wait time for an ambulance. Kavanagh suffered the injury at around 7.55pm on Friday with medical attention arriving at 8.35pm.

When queried by the Leinster Express/Laois Live as to why it took so long for an ambulance to arrive at the scene, the HSE had this to say.

"Not all 112/999 calls for ambulances are classed as critical emergencies and response times targets which are set out in the HSE’s National Service Plan apply to PURPLE (Life threatening cardiac or respiratory arrest) or RED (life threatening illness or injury, other than cardiac arrest) calls only. While non-life threatening calls are distressing for patients or their families, they are not in the highest priority category and therefore response times for these calls may be slower depending on demand at the time.

As demand can exceed available resources, 112/999 calls are clinically triaged and prioritised to ensure that those patients with life threatening injuries or conditions receive the fastest response possible."

Both sets of players will be hoping that the game can finally be completed as they go to battle again on Wednesday evening. The original fixture two weeks ago saw scoreline controversy overshadow it which in turn meant that the game had to be replayed. The winners of the quarter-final will take on Portlaoise on Saturday, October 7 in the semi-final. Ballyfin await the winners after they got the better of Ballinakill in Saturday's semi-final.