Retired paramedic Rod Klein claims QAS rife with bullying

A decorated Gympie paramedic claims the QAS is riddled with bullying and flawed protocols that are worsening hospital ramping problems across Qld, and in extreme cases, costing lives.

Retired Gympie paramedic Rod Klein said the state’s ambulance service was rife with bullying which was driving people from the job.

A decorated former Gympie paramedic has claimed the Queensland Ambulance Service is rife with bullying and that its “over cautious approach” had cost lives and continued to put lives at risk and drive paramedics out of the service.

Thirty-five year veteran Rod Klein, 61, resigned in July 2021, and has now spoken out about the problems he says he encountered during his decades of service across the Gympie, Dalby and Charleville regions.

Of those problems, he said bullying was the worst.

His earliest experience with it was 27 years ago in 1994, when a greeting card was left on his locker door with the message: “Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Jesus Loves You … Everyone else thinks your (sic) a c--t!”

The most serious incident, detailed in a letter to Health Minister Yvette D’Ath following his resignation this year, was being accused of threatening to shoot staff members at the ambulance station.

A sign was erected on an office door shortly after the comment was allegedly made saying “temporary mortuary”; it remained up for a significant amount of time.

Mr Klein denied making the comments, allegedly made in 2006 but not formally complained about until 2010.

Rod Klein served in the QAS for 35 years before resigning.

At the same time Mr Klein was told a number of staff members had raised concerns about being unwilling to work with him due to his Type 1 diabetes.

These were centred on concerns he might suffer an episode while driving.

The QAS found Mr Klein was compliant with the service’s requirements around the condition, but he was not allowed to undertake a 4WD course despite repeatedly applying.

Mr Klein said he felt “targeted” every time a new staff member was signed up to the course.

QAS director Michael Augustus said the service would not comment on an individual’s claims but “the QAS stands firm in its position in having zero tolerance for inappropriate workplace behaviour” including sexual harassment, bullying and discrimination.

The QAS was “immensely proud” of its Respect Program, he said.

“The service has set strong policies where every person who works or volunteers for the QAS has a responsibility to ensure appropriate behaviour in our workplaces.

Former Gympie paramedic Rod Klein raised his concerns about bullying in a letter to Health Minister Yvette D’Ath following his resignation. Photographer: Liam Kidston.

“While this means upholding a commitment to conducting ourselves professionally at all times, it also means speaking up when we see inappropriate behaviour in the workplace.”

Mr Klein said the years of bullying had led to attrition in the workforce.

“A lot of people have left because of the bullying,” he said.

Mr Klein said the introduction of flexible working arrangements two years ago in the QAS had left shifts shorthanded.

“Many times in this region (from Beerwah to Tin Can Bay) of a night time you would have eight crew down,” he said.

Another growing problem was a lack of experience and over caution.

He said he knew of a case in Brisbane where paramedics were held away from an overdose with disastrous results.

“If you go to a … suicide, you can’t go (in) until the police arrive.”

QAS director Michael Augustus defended the services’ commitment towards a workplace free of discrimination and bullying. Picture: Brendan Radke

When he started it was a matter of going in and assessing the danger yourself, and backing out if there was risk.

“Now you’ve got to stage around the corner until the police arrive.”

With the young woman who overdosed, he said, “the mother was with her and the mother said, she’s unconscious, she’s not dangerous, there’s no problem”.

“They still staged them … it took two hours for them to get to her and she was dead.

“It’s happened in Gympie.”

Then there was caution on the other end, which was playing a part in ever increasing ramping numbers.

A September report found only 73 per cent of patients who arrived by ambulance at Gympie Hospital were handed over to the Emergency Department within 30 minutes.

Similar problems were found at other Queensland hospitals.

“Some of those patients don’t have to be transported,” Mr Klein said.

“The trouble now is they don’t have the training or experience to do that (treat them at home).

Gympie Hospital’s ambulance ramping problem is caused by an overcautious approach, where everyone is transported, the former paramedic claims.

“They’re all frightened because if you don’t transport and that person dies … so just transport everybody.

“That way you’ve got yourself covered, and they’ve been directed to do that anyway.”

Mr Klein said at one call-out just before he retired the patient “that I recognised had kidney stones”.

“(This was due to) all the pain - five out of 10 (on the scale); they should have had a cannula put in and morphine.”

Instead, the patient was given two panadol and taken to hospital. When they arrived the patient’s pain was “nine out of 10”.

“As far as I’m concerned that’s negligence.”

It was not a problem confined to Gympie and the regions, Mr Klein said.

“It’s not only in Queensland, it’s in New South Wales. It’s everywhere.”