Whistleblower medic whose photo of crashed ambulance sparked outcry sacked

A whistleblower medic whose photo of a crashed ambulance in Myrtleford sparked outcry over paramedics’ fatigue and workload has been sacked.

Whistleblower medic Andrew Bishop, whose photo of a crashed ambulance sparked outcry, has been sacked.

A whistleblower medic whose photo of a crashed ambulance sparked outcry over paramedics’ fatigue and workload has been sacked.

The Victorian Ambulance Union has slammed National Patient Transport – a private company separate to Ambulance Victoria – after ambulance transport officer Andrew Bishop lost his job.

In a petition launched by the union online, the VAU said Mr Bishop responded to a crashed ambulance and – after freeing the trapped Ambulance Victoria paramedic – took the picture which “helped expose the fatigue risk faced by our members”.

That picture – taken in Myrtleford in the early hours of June 27 – became a lightning rod in the union’s then ongoing industrial campaign, as the injured paramedic had worked more than 18 hours.

“That picture went viral and highlighted the risk of fatigue faced by paramedics and ambulance workers across Victoria,” the petition said.

The Herald Sun has contacted NPT for comment, but in a statement to Nine Newspapers the group denied the photo was the reason Bishop’s employment was terminated.

“While it is generally not our policy to comment on individual employment matters, we would like to be clear that in this case, the decision to terminate his employment was not based on the capturing and distributing of the photograph”, the company said.

“Andrew has worked as a firefighter, a first aider and in the safety industry for over 40 years,” the petition said.

“He did his best to use his skills and experience to rescue a workmate and get him to care safely.

“He also helped expose the serious risks faced by ambulance workers across Victoria.

“Sacking an ambo for trying to do the right thing is unfair, harsh, and unreasonable and this decision should be reversed.”