ANN KELLEHER KEANE and colleagues identify a need for an advanced nurse practitioner service in emergency health care to reduce waiting times and enhance patients’ overall experience

The Republic of Ireland (ROI) has undergone an unprecedented series of social, economic and demographic changes over the past 15 years, resulting in significant developments in most public services, including health care. These changes are mainly due to the rapid growth since the early 1990s of the ‘Celtic tiger economy’, which has transformed the ROI into one of Europe’s wealthiest countries per capita.