An ambulance crew in Cork was suspended from duty after declining to transport a patient to Dublin earlier this week, the Psychiatric Nurses Association has said.
The union said the staff concerned were members of its national ambulance service branch and did not agree to transport the patient as they were nearing the end of a 12-hour shift.
The union said the crew made an assessment that it would be unsafe on health and safety grounds to make the trip. It is understood other ambulance crews objected to the suspension and set an ultimatum to management to lift the sanction.
It is understood that the patient, believed to be a child, was transferred to Dublin from Cork by another ambulance crew.
The Health Service Executive said its National Ambulance Service (NSA) is investigating an issue that occurred locally. It said it is satisfied that there has been “no impact regarding continuity of service”.
“The NSA is currently investigating an issue that occurred locally and would therefore not be in a position to comment any further at this time.”
