Mark Ruddy

Yeah, thanks for having me.

I've never got in touch with you and I just passed the ambulance ticket in Arklow, so I just had to dial in.

I'm a GP in the town and I also respond on behalf of the ambulance service to critical care stuff and I've been involved in paramedic training.

I really support what's happened today.

The guys are absolutely exceptional clinicians who work in really, really challenging situations.

situations in the dark at night and bring really super medical care, stuff that didn't exist 20 years ago.

The stuff these guys do mirrors what happens in emergency departments and they bring it to all corners of the country to people's living rooms.

So yeah, I definitely support them.

I think a lot of my GP colleagues would share my opinion.

There's several paramedics on strike down in Arklow, and I was talking to them.

They have an active ambulance.

The active ambulance went out, and the strike ambulances are available for what's called echo calls, so serious calls, cardiac arrests, that sort of thing.

So I think they'll minimise it as much as they can, but this is to protect the service going forward, to continue to have a brilliant service and have brilliant staff.

We need to look after them.

And if they don't get paid well, don't get T's and C's, they get moralised, they leave.

So I think long term it's protecting us.

And there's also capacity in other services, you know, in our practice.

No, I completely agree.

And I really feel for those patients.

and I think delays are inevitable but I think the future of the ambulance service is probably at stake and the really good clinicians who do really good stuff just need to be supported.