Integrated Clinical Hub opens in Castlederg

THIS week, politicians and community leaders gathered at Castlederg Ambulance Station for the official opening of a new Integrated Clinical Hub (ICH), a facility which represents a significant expansion of the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS).

The hub, which builds on NIAS’s 2017 launch of a clinical support desk in Castlederg, aims to enhance patient safety and efficiency in healthcare delivery. It also represents a reformed model of clinical support, focusing on faster, more tailored responses for patients.

The NIAS initially began efforts to improve secondary triage through a small team of clinicians, allowing for additional patient assessment via call-backs and remote evaluations. This November, the service evolved into the ICH model, incorporating a much larger clinical team to serve the area with more comprehensive patient support.

Multiple recruitment campaigns have been held since the hub’s inception, bringing in NIAS’s largest intake of new clinicians to date. With training completed in early 2024, the expanded team is now fully operational, bringing a substantial impact to patient care in Northern Ireland.

A spokesperson for the NIAS said, “The implementation of this enhanced care model will mean that more people of Northern Ireland, when calling the Ambulance service, may receive a call back from one of our ICH clinicians to take further information on a patient’s condition or injury.

“This will ensure that the response we provide for patients is more intelligent and tailored to the needs of patients.”

Welcoming the opening of the new facility was Castlederg councillor Ruairi McHugh who attended the official opening.

Cllr McHugh said, “This initiative by NIAS will provide improved career opportunities for paramedics who live in the west of the six counties as they will not now be required to travel to Belfast should they wish to work in the role of a Clinical Support Desk (CSD) officer.

“I have worked tirelessly over the years to secure the future of the Ambulance Station in Castlederg and this initiative emphasises the importance of having an Ambulance Station in Castlederg to support all the community and NIAS staff.”

Also in attendance was UUP councillor Derek Hussey who stated, “It’s great to have a service being enhanced in our community with the official opening of the Integrated Clinical Hub at our local Castlederg Ambulance Station.

“Myself and other local elected representatives were invited along to view the new facilities now operating in the Castlederg Hub which will undoubtedly improve ambulance and clinical provision across our wide Derg area and beyond.”