Doctors and paramedics are calling for the ability to treat injuries at the scene of a road crash – arguing it would “save lives”. 

The coalition of healthcare workers is asking the Government to catch up with other countries and allow doctors to treat crash victims before they reach the hospital. 

Dr Lisa Cunningham said she has been campaigning for the last few years – but the issue has become more prevalent in recent months.

Some 113 people have been killed on Irish roads so far this year – compared to 100 by August 1st, 2023. 

Last weekend alone, five people died in four separate crashes across Ireland.

“We know this is available on the international level,” she told Newstalk Breakfast. “A lot of us work in the UK as well in Ireland delivering this.” 

Treating injuries at a crash

As a pre-hospital air doctor in the UK, Dr Cunningham typically reaches the scene of a crash within 12 minutes. 

From there, she can give a crash victim blood if they’re bleeding out – and even put them in a medically-induced coma if necessary. 

“[A head injury] is probably the most common cause of mortality in Ireland with road traffic collisions,” she said. 

In the UK, doctors can deliver “critical care” before a patient reaches the hospital - but in Ireland, patients are often stuck in limbo following a crash. 

Gardaí at the site of a serious crash, 17-7-24. Image: Leah Farrell / © RollingNews.ie

Dr Cunningham explained after a collision in Ireland, those injured are first brought to a local emergency department if they are more than 45 minutes away from the nearest major trauma centres. 

The only two trauma centres in Ireland are the Mater Hospital in Dublin and Cork University Hospital. 

This means, according to Dr Cunningham, if someone had a crash in Belmullet, Co Mayo, they could be waiting for an hour and a half before they are able to receive full critical treatment. 

She said it’s “common sense” that patients receive some treatment before they are brought to a “definitive centre” - yet this doesn’t happen in Ireland. 

“There is a plan that could be implemented that could save lives,” she said. 

“There is a portion that will not have survivability – but there is absolutely survivability in many.” 

'What if?'

Doctors are more urgent than ever to increase the intervention powers of paramedics amid increasing deaths on Irish roads. 

Dr Cunningham noted many doctors are also “morally injured” when they can’t help crash victims. 

In many cases, paramedics are left wondering had been able to do a blood transfusion or induce a coma at a crash if a victim would have survived – but they’ll never know.