Tory Island Heli Service

[SousaTeuszii]

From Etenders

Title: Helicopter Service To Tory Island Co. Donegal.
Published by: Health Service Executive
Publication date: 13-Nov-2006
Application Deadline:  
Notice Deadline Date: 27-Nov-2006
Notice Deadline time: 12:00
Notice Type: Tender
Has Documents: No
Abstract: Helicopter Srevice to Tory Island Co. Donegal.


This is being put in place by the HSE. This leads me to believe that it is for medical evacuations from the island or possibly the provision of a service to bring people to the mainland for medical appointments.
Unless I am sorely mistaken there are already a number of government services to this Island.

1. Subsidised ferry service
2. SAR helicopter within 30 odd minutes of Tory
3. 6 new Air Corps helicopters which have traditionally provided for island relief when either part 1 or 2 are not available.

The HSE now want to waste another €200,000 to pamper islanders with non emergency helicopter flights while people on the mainland cannot even get a bloody ambulance!

Considering also that it will need to be a twin engine machine, probably based in Dublin that should get them about 33 flights.
What a waste. Time for the Air Corps to stand up and win back some money me thinks.
ST

[Lude]

Hi Guys,

Well I know a little bit about the service currently operated to Tory island,I live in the locality, I always thought that the heli service included flights for a doctor to go out to the island on a regular basis.
These flights are mainly operated during the winter and have been operating for years with an Irish Helicopters BO 105, althogh more recently a Twin Squirrel from some Scottish Company has performed the role also.
If there is an emergency medical situation on the island I believe that the Sligo S-61 would be tasked, no question.

This move by the HSE seems strange considering the above, but perhaps the contract is up for renewal or something along those lines??

[Irish251]

If it is a service purchased by a public body, this would have to be the subject of a competition at regular intervals.  At a value of €200k it would have to be advertised EU-wide.  

The State has a legal duty to provide, directly or indirectly, certain health services to citizens who qualify for them.  That may well be the reason for this transport service.

[SousaTeuszii]

Short Finals,
I agree that the population of the islands need to be looked after but what about the rest of us! There are already three capabilities in this area without the need for another one. This money could be much better spent providing emergency care for people in rural areas.
Lude lives on the mainland close to the Tory area, perhaps he could tell us the average waiting time for an ambulance to arrive in his area. I bet like most of Donegal and a lot of other rural areas it would take a hell of a lot longer then a SAR heli to react to an incident on Tory.
The islanders already have a comparable or better standard of emergency service then a lot of mainlanders. This money should be put into the ambulance service, and no a HEMS service is not the answer. The ground situation needs to be vastly overhauled and improved before that could be even close to effective.
Rant over.
ST

[Joe McDermott]

Twin Squirrel from some Scottish Company has performed the role also.

Lude,

This aircraft is supplied by PDG Helicopters (PLM/Dollar Group) based at Inverness-Dalcross, parent company for IHL, when the IHL AS.350 is otherwise engaged.

Regards,

Joe

[pilatus]

it is a waste of money i suppose!im from donegal and i can tell you the ferry service to tory is a complete joke and the sea has to be virtually calm for it!but still this is a waste of money!

[SousaTeuszii]

Hi Joe,
Is the 350 not a single engine machine?
How does this tally with Commercial Air Transport requirements for pax carrying flights over water?
ST

[Joe McDermott]

Hi Joe,
Is the 350 not a single engine machine?
How does this tally with Commercial Air Transport requirements for pax carrying flights over water?
ST

Apologies for typo ST, the PDG aircraft is the AS.355, I think they have 3 of them.

[SARMAN]

Sounds to me like its the contract that the Scotish based heli company is currently doing, is up for re-tender, if they are Scotish based then Irish Commercial air transport rules do not apply because they are more than likely working out of there Scotish based AOC.

Talking about the Sligo s61 and the island medivacs the lads are saying they are not doing half as much as the old Finner days.

Someone with more local knowledge may be able to answer these questions I have, why dont they have there own lifeboat on Tory for non-emergency type work?? ( the nearest all weather life boat to Tory at the minute is Lough Swilly or Arranmore)  
This system work's well on the Aran Islands that the lifeboat would transfere the patient if not in a potentially life threating condition.. "Just a thought"

Another question is I was told that the harbour on Tory has been upgraded so that it can take a ferry in all conditions would this not cut out the old Finner days of there has been no Ferry in a week I have to go and do the lotto and cash my dole (for the island!!!)

I am not taking a swipe at the Islanders on Tory I feel that they are entitled better health care in Ireland but look at the "MAIN LANDERS" who have to suffer with a poor fleet of ambulances and poorly crewed (not enough crews and ambulances that would in other countrys be put off the road) in sometimes one hour plus to hospital after the ambulance get's to you..

If it keeps going the way its going Tory will be the place to live and Patsy Dan will be my King and King of Ireland if he managed to get for the rest of Ireland what he has got for Tory!!!
Rant over...  

[Lude]

Hi Guys,

As regards the PDG helicopter operating the contract as Joe said I think the 'Tory run' as I call it is leased out to PDG when the IHL Bo-105 is unavailable.
I have no information as to how much the contract is worth as it is presently operating but the system is that the aircraft arrives the afternoon before commencing the runs, it fuels up in Carrickfinn and it then lands at a local hotel (in Gweedore) before waking everybody in the locality up the next morning as it goes about the island runs. I believe it departs again the same day. Could anyone shed any light on how much a service like this would cost?

As regards the availability of a lifeboat on Tory I would say that it is a practical issue for the RNLI, in general terms I doubt it would make logistical sense having two Severn class boats based so relatively close to each other as the Arranmore and Tory one would be if it where to have one.
There is a Coastguard station based in Bunbeg, newly opened actually which operates a RIB boat but this would be impractical for operations such as patient transfer.

As regards the ambulance service in the locality it can sometimes leave a lot to be desired, but as with everything in the country this has to do with allocation of what resources are available.We have a good out of hours GP service in the NOWDoc (similar to the Westdoc service) and the Doctor would usually arrive long before an ambulance in an emergency situation, road accident etc.

And Pilatus the Ferry service isn't a joke btw! They do the best they can with the equipment they've got and they operate a reliable service, as reliable as any service can be when it is dependent on weather conditions.

Lude