A RESCUE HELICOPTER is being forced to land more than three kilometres from Donegal’s main hospital because of health and safety concerns at its helipad.

Members of the Irish Coastguard’s Rescue 118 team have expressed concerns over landing at Letterkenny University Hospital.

Instead, they have now made the decision to take casualties to an airfield on the outskirts of Letterkenny at Boangee.

The casualties must then be taken by ambulance through traffic to Letterkenny University Hospital’s Accident and Emergency Department.

The move follows a health and safety inspection at the hospital’s helipad during which a number of issues of concern were highlighted.

It is understood the concerns include a number of malfunctioning lights as well as concerns over fire extinguishers and also the level training of staff operating in the vicinity of the helipad.

The health and safety inspection was ordered after a recent security breach at the helipad.

Management at the hospital are aware of the issue and it is understood they are working to rectify the various health and safety concerns.

The Rescue 118 helicopter crew have gone “offline” from the helipad at the hospital for a number of days and have brought a number of casualties to the Letterkenny Airstrip instead.

The most recent of these occurred on Tuesday afternoon when the helicopter was tasked to Errigal Mountain after a woman injured her leg after a fall.

Councillor Gerry McMonagle, a member of the HSE Regional Health Forum West said he was shocked by the health and safety concerns at the helipad.

He said “I am firstly shocked to hear that there are issues over such things as lights and also fire extinguishers at the helipad.

“The fact that the staff of the helicopter have decided not to land at the helipad at the hospital shows how seriously they are taking this issue.

“They have been left with no choice but to land three kilometres away and then have casualties taken by ambulance through one of Donegal’s busiest road networks, the four lane carriageway into Letterkenny.

“I’m just shocked that this has been allowed to happen.”

Councillor McMonagle added that he is urging hospital management to immediately address the health and safety concerns of the staff of the Rescue 118 helicopter so it can return to landing at the hospital.

“This has to be done immediately. Whatever issues there are have to be rectified as soon as possible. The welfare of patients and casualties has to be put first,” he added.

A spokesperson from the Department of Transport said CHC Helicopters, who operates the service, is working with the hospital to make corrective actions to issues found in the health and safety check.

The spokesperson added “Following a recent safety audit, CHC Helicopter (the operator of the Irish Coastguard helicopter service) has decided to temporarily suspend the use of the helicopter landing site at Letterkenny University Hospital.

“Services are currently being provided from an alternative helicopter landing site.

“CHC continues to liaise closely with the hospital authorities as they work through the corrective actions. It is anticipated that availability will be restored in the very immediate future.”