A NEW instructional video about masking a 999 medical emergency call from an island has been launched to show West Cork island residents what to expect when calling 999/112.

It describes how the National Ambulance Service (NAS) responds in remote or maritime areas and the specific factors involved in accessing emergency care from an island community.

The video outlines how the  NAS co‑ordinates emergency responses in remote or maritime settings and highlights the unique considerations involved in accessing emergency care from an island community.

The launch took place on Cape Clear and coincided with the final day of Emergency First Responder (EFR) training on the island. Members of the NAS, the RNLI, and the West Cork Islands Health Forum (WCIHF) attended the event, demonstrating the strong collaboration and shared commitment to improving emergency response capacity across the West Cork islands.

Eleanor Moore, principal community worker in HSE South West said that as chairperson of the WCIHF she is delighted to have launched this video for the island alongside her colleagues in the NSA.

'This information video is part of a suite of initiatives to support our island’s population if we are faced with an emergency. The WCIHF has worked in partnership with the island’s population over the last number of years to ensure that all have equitable access to our health services. We continue as the WCIHF to improve this access in collaboration with the island’s population and our colleagues in HSE South West.'

The WCIHF was established in 2022 to improve healthcare access for residents of the West Cork islands and nearby rural communities. It brings together the HSE, NAS), Cork County Council, and local island representatives. Its work is guided by the Primary Care Islands Services Review Report (2017), which outlined a vision for sustainable and equitable primary care for island communities.