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Ambulance over the border

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  • 31-12-2009 8:38pm
    #1
    new to the town
    Closed Accounts Posts: 24 ✭


    Hi all,
    Has anyone had the experience of getting an ambulance to cross the border - my situation is that i'm having my baby in Daisy Hill but will my condition, it maybe a case that I would need an ambulance - i'm living in Dundalk so not sure if an ambulance would take me over the border - any ideas?

    Many thanks


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    #2
    Victor
    Registered Users Posts: 78,417 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    Emergency ambulances cross the border all the time. However, if you live in Dundalk and phone Daisy Hill for an ambulance, I imagine they will tell you get a local one. A local one will likely take you to a hospital in Louth, Monaghan or Meath, but not necessarily across the border.

    It begs the question, why doesn't your place of residence match your hospital - it increases risks.


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    #3
    neacy69
    Registered Users Posts: 2,823 ✭✭✭neacy69


    Victor wrote: »
    Emergency ambulances cross the border all the time. However, if you live in Dundalk and phone Daisy Hill for an ambulance, I imagine they will tell you get a local one. A local one will likely take you to a hospital in Louth, Monaghan or Meath, but not necessarily across the border.

    It begs the question, why doesn't your place of residence match your hospital - it increases risks.

    The OP said she lives in Dundalk and the hospital in Dundalk dosen't deal with pregnancies/deliveries....Most people choose wether to go to Drogheda or Daisy Hill depending on numerous things like private or public care, family history, personal preference (and with some of the horror stories from the Lourdes in Drogheda Im not surprised more people are going to Newry).

    OP I reckon if you ring daisy hill they will be able to organise one for you but would be quicker/less costly to get someone on standby to run you up when the time comes...


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    #4
    DundalkDuffman
    Registered Users Posts: 734 ✭✭✭DundalkDuffman


    An ambulance will not take you to Daisyhill from Dundalk in an emergency situation, Drogheda is the gynae centre for the region so thats where you will go.
    True that ambulances cross the border but I would question that it is a regular occurence. I could count on my hands the number of them I remember in the last 10 years.


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    #5
    TommyT
    Closed Accounts Posts: 511 ✭✭✭TommyT


    Ace Taxis 04830263666


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    #6
    eth0_
    Registered Users Posts: 10,846 ✭✭✭✭eth0_


    new to the town wrote: »
    Hi all,
    Has anyone had the experience of getting an ambulance to cross the border - my situation is that i'm having my baby in Daisy Hill but will my condition, it maybe a case that I would need an ambulance

    By "my condition" do you mean "pregnancy" or have you got underlying health issues?

    You do not and should not call an ambulance if you're having a normal labour. It's not a "materna-taxi", after all.


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    #7
    DubMedic
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,249 ✭✭✭DubMedic


    eth0_ wrote: »
    By "my condition" do you mean "pregnancy" or have you got underlying health issues?

    You do not and should not call an ambulance if you're having a normal labour. It's not a "materna-taxi", after all.
    Give it a rest would you, you don't know the OP's situation.

    For all you know she could live alone and have no other means to get to hospital.

    .


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    #8
    eth0_
    Registered Users Posts: 10,846 ✭✭✭✭eth0_


    DubMedic wrote: »
    Give it a rest would you, you don't know the OP's situation.

    For all you know she could live alone and have no other means to get to hospital.

    .

    That's why I asked...

    Taxi/friend/family member could be arranged. You get charged for an ambulance trip in Ireland anyway, don't you?

    OP - maybe your midwife would be the best person to ask.


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    #9
    new to the town
    Closed Accounts Posts: 24 ✭new to the town


    This isn't my first so I am well aware that I would not need an ambulance if I was going into "normal labour". My situation is that I may need an ambulance for this pregnancy and if my husband doesn't work locally and I don't know a lot of people locally so am trying to determine my options. I don't think a taxi would take me and I questioned the midwives in the hosp and they didn't know. If a local ambulance can only take me to Drogheda, I can rule that out and will have to come up with another alternative. Yes, I am aware you have to pay for an ambulance.
    Thanks for your replies all.


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    #10
    eth0_
    Registered Users Posts: 10,846 ✭✭✭✭eth0_


    How about contacting a private ambulance service? I don't know the names of any in Down & Louth though, sorry.

    Strange that the midwives have never dealt with this sort of situation before!


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    #11
    DubMedic
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,249 ✭✭✭DubMedic


    eth0_ wrote: »
    That's why I asked...

    Taxi/friend/family member could be arranged. You get charged for an ambulance trip in Ireland anyway, don't you?.
    No, there is no charge for a public emergency ambulance.
    .


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    #12
    locum-motion
    Registered Users Posts: 5,143 ✭✭✭locum-motion


    DubMedic wrote: »
    No, there is no charge for a public emergency ambulance.
    .

    A normal labour isn't an emergency!

    I'll double check tomorrow with someone I know who knows, but I'm fairly sure that the HSE (NorthEast) Ambulance Service (who is who you'd get if you ring 999) won't take a woman in labour to Newry, they'll take them to Drogheda.


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    #13
    DubMedic
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,249 ✭✭✭DubMedic


    locum-motion wrote: »
    A normal labour isn't an emergency!
    Public emergency ambulance, not private ambulance service.

    I was replying to etho who asked about amb charges..
    .


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    #14
    DubMedic
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,249 ✭✭✭DubMedic


    OP, how close are you to the border?.
    .


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    #15
    new to the town
    Closed Accounts Posts: 24 ✭new to the town


    I'm close to the town - Dublin Rd


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    #16
    sold
    Closed Accounts Posts: 285 ✭✭sold


    new to the town wrote: »
    Hi all,
    Has anyone had the experience of getting an ambulance to cross the border - my situation is that i'm having my baby in Daisy Hill but will my condition, it maybe a case that I would need an ambulance - i'm living in Dundalk so not sure if an ambulance would take me over the border - any ideas?

    Many thanks

    you would be better to go to Drogheda. Today their service is more that adequate for having a baby.

    Going private in Ireland to have a baby is a waste of money. Our public health system for child birth is one of the best on the world, maybe no private room.

    My wife had complication during pregnancy, due to her condition she was referred to the same consultant that does private patients, he saw her every week and assigned a nurse to monitor my wife every 3 days, she got weekly scans and was induced 2 weeks early, she had 2 consultants with her during labour, all went fine and all was on the public system even when we have VHI, all the nurses and doctors we spoke to told us the private childbirth in Ireland is a waste of money, If you have a condition or a problem you will get the best care.

    Other areas of healthcare are not that good, but for childbirth the system works very well.


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    #17
    new to the town
    Closed Accounts Posts: 24 ✭new to the town


    Thanks Sold. I have no issues with Drogheda in that sense but as i'm approaching the end of my preg, all my history is with Newry - I've been in and out of Newry all through this preg with complications so they very much know my situation and so in an emergency, this is obviously where I want to go.


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    #18
    paraletic
    Registered Users Posts: 228 ✭✭paraletic


    if your history is with daisy hill, and you can't get a lift, call a taxi. there should be no issues with a taxi company transporting a pregnant woman, if you leave in good time!!
    a taxi is cheaper than a private ambo, and you would need to book the private ambo in advance.

    if you think you are going to deliver quickly, call 999, the paramedics, are trained to deliver, but remember they aren't midwives, so do yourself a favour and don't leave it to the last minute. they would take you to an irish hospital unless they were given permission by the control room,to go to daisy hill.
    there is no charge for an emergency ambulance.

    good luck with the rest of your pregnancy, and with the new baby.:)


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    #19
    DubMedic
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,249 ✭✭✭DubMedic


    Amb control will advise the crew which hospital is closer.. paramedics can deliver if necessary.

    Do not hesitate to activate 999 if you are unsure whether or not you will make either hospital on time, if you are closer to daisy hill amb control may advise the crew to head there instead.
    .


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    #20
    new to the town
    Closed Accounts Posts: 24 ✭new to the town


    Thanks for the suggestions and advise - I appreciate it esp as it is an unusual situation.


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    #21
    locum-motion
    Registered Users Posts: 5,143 ✭✭✭locum-motion


    locum-motion wrote: »
    I'll double check tomorrow with someone I know who knows, but I'm fairly sure that the HSE (NorthEast) Ambulance Service (who is who you'd get if you ring 999) won't take a woman in labour to Newry, they'll take them to Drogheda.

    Sorry, I was unable to get hold of the person I mentioned above today. However, it looks like other posters have dealt with the questions so I'll leave it at that.


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