Ambulance officers being worn down by constant overtime requests, says manager

An email acknowledging ambulance staff were being deluged with requests to plug gaps is proof the service is “dangerously understaffed”, the Opposition claims.

Tasmania’s ambulance service has been hit by staff shortages. Picture: MATHEW FARRELL

AMBULANCE officers are becoming fatigued from a constant barrage of requests to work overtime shifts, one of their managers says.

The service is creating a “Crisis Response Register” to alert staff to shortages after a critical shortage last week forced a patient’s relative to drive an ambulance to hospital while the lone paramedic provided medical treatment.

In an email to staff, the acting manager of Ambulance Tasmania’s southern region Andrew Porter said he acknowledged staff were being deluged with requests to plug gaps.

“I am fully aware that there is a level of fatigue that occurs as a result of continuous text messages advertising overtime for vacant shifts,” he wrote.”

He said the service would seek to reduce the number of requests.

“I seek to introduce a new mechanism to improve our operational resilience with a purpose of being able to respond rapidly to significant surges in demand and thereby avoid compromise in service delivery and support to our team members.

“This initiative is a direct result of what occurred on the night shift of 27 June, 2019.”

The Mercury understands ambulance staff worked up to 16-hour shifts at the height of last week’s crisis, some working for 10 hours without a break.

Ambulance staff worked up to 16-hour shifts at the height of last week’s crisis. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

Mr Porter wrote that ambulance officers would be able to opt out of being asked to work extra shifts.

“To facilitate our responses to any future significant surge it would be helpful to maintain a register of staff that are willing to be contacted when an emergency/disaster level of escalation occurs.

“In doing this I support staff who do not wish to be contacted because I recognise the range of commitments people have including looking after themselves in terms of their own health and general wellbeing.”

Labor health spokeswoman Sarah Lovell. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

Labor health spokeswoman Sarah Lovell said the letter demonstrated how stretched the ambulance service was.

“What this shows is just how deep the crisis in the ambulance service is, with staff pushed beyond their limit,” she said.

“In writing this letter the service is acknowledging that they are regrettably causing fatigue by having to call in staff so often.

“That’s an admission the service is dangerously understaffed because the Hodgman Government has dangerously under-resourced the health system.”

Ambulance Tasmania was given an extra $20 million in the state budget to cope with increasing demand.

Ambulance officers responded to more than 80,000 calls — including 50,000 emergency calls — for help last year — an increase of 6.5 per cent year on year.

The service employs more than 220 paramedics and has 460 volunteer ambulance officers

The state government is currently locked in a dispute with public sector wokers — including ambulance officers — over pay and conditions.