Ambulance Victoria defends taxi call for woman with appendicitis

VICTORIANS with less severe health complaints should get used to being given alternative ways to get to medical help other than an ambulance, according to Ambulance Victoria.

VICTORIANS with less severe health complaints should get used to being given alternative ways to get to medical help other than an ambulance, according to Ambulance Victoria.

The service has defended its decision to use a taxi to transport a woman with appendicitis to hospital earlier this year, after she made a complaint.

Sydney woman Danielle told Fairfax she crawled into the lobby of Crown Promenade on April 18 in excruciating abdominal pain, and staff called 000.

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After rating her pain nine out of 10, she was sent a taxi instead of an ambulance to get her to hospital.

Ambulance Vicgtoria has defended its decision to use a taxi to transport a woman with appendicitis to hospital earlier this year, after she made a complaint.

An Ambulance Victoria review found the use of the taxi was appropriate.

The service overhauled its triage system two years ago to prioritise ambulances for critical cases.

Of the 2000 calls AV receives each day, about 12 are deemed appropriate to receive a taxi.

AV chief operating officer Mark Rogers said less urgent callers to 000 should expect questions from paramedics or nurse triage officers to determine if other options — aside from an ambulance trip to hospital — were appropriate. Patients also could be asked to visit a GP or have a family member drive them to hospital.