Medicall’s recent acquisition of Northern Ireland’s ambulance company Proparamedics is set to create the largest private ambulance provider in Ireland by offering an island-wide coverage across 12 bases, with a combined team of 320 medical professionals and support staff and a 70-strong fleet of vehicles, which includes 60 state-of-the-art ambulances.
Founded in 1993 by Paul M. ffrench-O’Carroll, Medicall is a leading provider of specialist ambulance services to public and private sector organisations in Ireland. Both businesses will continue to operate under their respective names and will become part of the newly formed MCL Group, led by Medicall’s MD Jay Gibson.
Derry-born Gibson said that the acquisition of Proparamedics marks a return to his Northern Irish roots. “Over the year Medicall and Proparamedics have worked side by side on several projects, and during this time, it was evident that both companies had many shared values.”
“As we looked to fulfil our ambition of becoming the leading private ambulance provider across the island of Ireland, it was clear that the skills and expertise offered by the wider Proparamedics team were pivotal in achieving this goal,” Gibson noted.
“By combining our considerable resources and breadth of expertise, we can now confidently deliver an unrivalled service to our public and private sector clients, regardless of the size of their requirements.”
Proparamedics was first established in 1999 as Northern Ireland’s first private ambulance service provider by paramedic John Cunningham. The company has been led for the past 15 year by his sister Heather Hamill-Vaughan, as managing director, who will remain within the business in the newly created role of Director of Service Delivery for Northern Ireland, while Roderick Walsh will continue in the role of Director of Service Delivery for Medicall.
Heather Hamill-Vaughan described it as “a momentous occasion” for the company which has been in family ownership for 25 years. “I’m exceptionally proud of our team, and of the difference that we make to thousands of patients every single year. Since my brother John founded the business with one ambulance in 1999, our team has grown to 130 dedicated healthcare professionals. B joining Medicall, I’m confident that we will be an important part of an exceptional service that prioritises its people and patients across Ireland,” she added.
“A more blended approach and innovative solutions will be critical as we look to the future, and by combining our resources, we will be well-placed to deliver an ever-greater level of care and service for patients when they need us most,” according to the Proparamedics MD.
Paul M. ffrench-O’Carroll, Chairman of the MCL Group, said that leading the way in private ambulance services and training has been his focus for Medicall for over 30 years. “And now without question we have the resources, expertise and capacity to deliver unparalleled services to patients across the island of Ireland.
“The difference and impact we can make by delivering a seamless service across the country will be hugely beneficial to our health service and private clients. Through our expanded team’s competence, compassion, and expertise, we will continue to deliver best-in-class ambulance services and training, and achieve my ambition of offering ‘a career in Medicall.’”
Medicall and Proparamedics are now recruiting for a variety of roles. For further information, see: www.medicall.ie / www.proparamedics.com
