Back up air ambulance for western region to be in place next week

Galway Bay fm newsroom - A back-up air ambulance for the western region including Galway will be in place at Roscommon University Hospital next week.

That's according to Roscommon-Galway TD Denis Naughten.

It's in response to the announcement that the Emergency Aeromedical Service based in Athlone will be out of operation for 16 days over the next 4 months due to staff shortages.

Irish Community Rapid Response will base an air ambulance helicopter at the Roscommon hospital to cover those 16 days.

Deputy Naughten has described this operation as a 'toe in the water' with hopes the level of emergency air ambulance services will be expanded.

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