Ambulances forced on footpath outside of Sunshine Hospital due to ramping

Paramedics were forced to park their ambulances on a sidewalk outside an emergency department in Melbourne northwest’s amid a crippling ramping crisis.

Paramedics were forced to park their ambulances on a footpath outside a hospital in Melbourne’s northwest amid a crippling ramping crisis.

At least three ambulances were spotted on the side of Furlong Rd near Sunshine Hospital’s emergency department about 4.30pm on Tuesday. 

It’s understood the ambulances were stationed on the sidewalk as there were no spaces available in the ‘emergency vehicles only’ area due to ramping.

An ambulance was forced onto the footpath outside Sunshine Hospital’s emergency department due to ramping. Picture: Jacqueline Felgate

The designated area has about 10 ambulance car parks at the hospital which is managed by Western Health. 

It’s believed about 50 patients were also banked up in the wait room with some waiting more than eight hours to be seen by a doctor on Tuesday afternoon.

Acting executive director of operations John Ferraro said patient wait times at the hospital were consistent with wait times throughout the previous month.

“The Covid-19 pandemic continues to put unprecedented pressure on the health system across Victoria and the nation,” he said.

“There were a high volume of Ambulance Victoria presentations over a relative short period of time at Sunshine Hospital Emergency Department yesterday afternoon.”

It comes as the state’s health system continues to be plagued by the code red crisis, soaring Covid cases and staff shortages. 

A 71-year-old grandfather who suffered a heart attack spent more than five hours waiting to get into Frankston Hospital as his ambulance sat ramped outside.

Russell Chambers began struggling to breathe about 4am on July 18 when his wife Glenys rang for help. 

“The paramedics came and ran tests on him and indicated it was a heart attack,” Ms Chambers said. 

“When we got there he was the ninth ambulance in line and stayed there for hours, he was admitted by about 11am.”

Meanwhile, an infant died in Geelong Hospital’s emergency department on July 4 as some patients waited almost 12 hours to be examined.

The hospital said the “typical” wait was between three and nine hours.