Hospitals to be banned from re-routing ambulances to other health services

HOSPITALS will be banned from re-routing ambulances to other health services in a bid to boost patient care.

n10wh805 a1 Box Hill Hospital has bee instructed not to put ambulances on bypass 070830 Picture: LAWRENCE PINDER

HOSPITALS will be banned from re-routing ambulances to other health services in a bid to boost patient care.

From October 7, the 20-year-old practice of busy hospitals putting themselves on “ambulance bypass” will end, Health Minister Jill Hennessy told State Parliament.

The move is likely to increase the burden on some hospitals during peak times, but to help the transition they will get an extra $800,000 to boost emergency departments or ensure more nurses are rostered.

The change will mean ambulances will no longer be forced to drive between hospitals, with one aim being to keep more ambulances back on the road to attend more incidents.

Ms Hennessy said getting rid of bypassing was about “putting patients first”.

“The practice has forced ambulances to continue to travel outside their region, it’s forced hospitals to deal with a ripple effect around their emergency departments,” she said.

“Clinicians and paramedics have been calling for this change for a long period of time.”

The ripple effect Ms Hennessy referred to is when hospitals go on bypass one after another, meaning ambulances have to keep re-routing to difference hospitals.

A report into Victoria’s ambulance woes recommended the change.