Push for parliament to probe Ambulance Victoria amid concerns the system is at crisis point
Victoria’s opposition is pushing for a parliamentary probe into Ambulance Victoria amid major concerns the service is struggling.
Victoria
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The Victorian Liberal Party is pushing for a parliamentary inquiry into the state’s ambulance system amid unprecedented ramping at hospitals and paramedics warning they are regularly working 18-hour shifts.
Opposition spokeswoman for health Georgie Crozier is hoping to garner the support of the crossbench to approve a probe by the Legal and Social Issues Committee.
On Tuesday she introduced a motion for an inquiry, which would investigate “core issues impacting the management and functions of Ambulance Victoria, including, but not limited to issues involving call taking, dispatch, ambulance ramping, working conditions and workloads of paramedics, procurement practices, including contract management and oversight and their adequacy in ensuring transparency, fairness and value for public funds,” Ms Crozier told the chamber.
The motion will be debated on Wednesday in the Victorian parliament, but will need the backing of crossbenchers, including the Greens, to go ahead.
Ms Crozier’s move comes after a week of horror dor the state’s emergency departments with paramedics reporting being held in queues, forced to look after patients for hours at a time at Victorian hospitals
Up to 14 ambulances were banked up at Geelong Hospital on Monday, with photos showing vehicles vying for space.
Multiple ambulances were parked along Ryrie St outside the hospital.
There were similar scenes at hospitals across the state with paramedics at multiple metropolitan and regional hospitals reporting lengthy waits at emergency department, which was keeping ambulances off the road.
Victorian Ambulance Union general secretary Danny Hill said the system was buckling under increasing pressure.
“It’s very busy at the moment,” he said.
“Across Victoria there are at least 136 ambulances ramped at hospitals,” (he said on Monday.
In metropolitan Melbourne only 14 per cent of the fleet is available at the moment to respond to emergencies.
“The government are just not doing enough to help hospitals with ambulance offloads.”
It’s understood the ramping followed a Code Orange being called on Friday night.
It’s understood this code means anyone needing non-emergency care needs to find alternative transport to hospital.
A visitor to the hospital on Monday described the scene as chaotic.
“It’s crazy in there. The hallways are clogged with patients on gurneys waiting for a bed. The paramedics have to stay with them until they get a bed. Staff are amazing working under cramped conditions. God help anyone who needs an emergency ambulance right night.”
One paramedic told the Herald Sun that ramping had “become the norm”.
“This is no longer a rare occurrence, we are being relied on to provide ongoing medical care while we wait in a queue.”
An Ambulance Victoria spokesperson said: “our crews are committed to working with hospitals to transfer patients to the appropriate hospital care as soon as possible, allowing our paramedics to get back on the road and respond to emergency incidents.”
Barwon Health emergency director Dr Belinda Hibble acknowledged the ramping and said the hospital was doing what it could to handle the influx of patients.
“The transfer of patients from ambulances to the University Hospital Geelong Emergency Department (ED) is a priority and we’ve implemented several measures to reduce extended waiting times, including admitting ambulance patients directly to our Short Stay Unit, commissioning the new pediatric area of the ED, and new senior staff roles dedicated to triage and early assessment for patients on arrival,” she said.
“Patients requiring emergency treatment are prioritised based on their individual clinical needs.”
Ms Crozier said the ongoing issues were putting people at risk.
“Ramped ambulances means other Victorians who need emergency care can’t get it, and that’s putting their lives in danger,” she said.
“Labor cannot manage money, cannot manage our health system and Victorians are paying the price.”
A Victorian Government spokesperson said: “Ambulance Victoria and our hospitals work together to ensure patients are transferred as quickly as possible in order to get our paramedics back on the road.
“Despite record demand, the average emergency department waiting time remains steady at 15 minutes, and all urgent patients are being seen immediately upon arrival.”
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