Call for new law to regulate emergency care practitioners
The Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC) in Ireland is urging the government to pass new legislation to modernize its regulatory powers. The council argues that current laws are outdated and prevent them from effectively sanctioning practitioners or overseeing service providers, posing a risk to public safety.
Why it matters
Strengthening regulatory oversight is critical for maintaining public trust and safety in emergency medical services, especially as the profession evolves.
The independent regulatory body overseeing paramedics and emergency care technicians in Ireland is calling for a new law to strengthen its powers to regulate paramedics and other pre-hospital emergency care practitioners.
In an opening statement to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health, Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC) Director, Richard Lodge said the legislation underpinning the regulator was no longer fit for purpose and created an "unacceptable risk to public safety".
PHECC said it registers around 7,000 practitioners, with just under 2,500 deployed by the National Ambulance Service.
The council said its current powers are limited. It can advise, admonish or censure practitioners, but cannot impose conditions on their registration, suspend them or remove them from the register.
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