Cork paramedic 'left in limbo' critical of ambulance staffing policy 

A Cork paramedic has criticised the staffing policy of the ambulance service in Cork, saying he and others have been left “in limbo” after passing interviews.

It comes after The Echo revealed earlier this year that ambulance services in Cork and Kerry are responding to 17% more calls than two years ago, but have not seen a staff increase to match.

The paramedic, who previously worked for the National Ambulance Service (NAS), told The Echo that he is looking to get back into the role, and has passed an interview process. He was placed on a panel last summer, which is made up of other qualified paramedics waiting to receive offers of employment should any arise.

Panel

“The panel went live in June 2024 and is due to expire in June 2025,” he said. “During this time there were offers for around 10 paramedics, but the offers were then withdrawn.

“Most of the staff on the panel are ex-NAS members and are ready to work once they complete the seven-week return course.

“The NAS could easily up its number in a short space of time, but they have only been advertising for students, which take three years to be fully qualified.”

At the start of the month, the National Ambulance Service advertised that it is opening up recruitment again for qualified paramedics to join a new panel in June 2025.

“Staff on the current panel are given the option to stay where they are, and hope a job offer comes out in the next two months, or remove themselves from their current panel and apply for the new one and go through the whole interview process again and hope they are successful,” said the man.

Merit

Communication to the paramedic and the others on the panel, seen by The Echo, said that the new panel will be supplementary to the panel he is on, which “will take precedence while it is in existence” — meaning he and the other candidates will have a higher order of merit than the new candidates, until the panel expires this summer.

“If you stay in the panel and there are no offers before June 2025, then we are removed and have to apply again next year if they decide to advertise again,” he said.

“This seems criminal that they have staff who are qualified and passed an interview process, just to leave them waiting when there is such a demand for staff.”

A spokesperson for service told The Echo: “Recruitment for replacement or new service development posts remains subject to the annual HSE budget and the prevailing employment controls in place within the HSE at any particular time. The National Recruitment Service manage all paramedic panels on behalf of the National Ambulance Service in line with HSE’s panel management policy.”