The NSW Bureau of Health Information (BHI) report for the January to March quarter 2020 has revealed response times for Priority 1 emergencies continue to slow. In the last quarter only 55% of patients in emergency situations received Ambulance assistance within 15 minutes, down 4.6% from the same quarter in 2019.
The Australian Paramedics Association (NSW) (‘APA (NSW)’) are concerned that NSW Ambulance have provided no plan to manage increasing demand. Response times are at their longest since BHI began reporting on them in 2015.
The State-Wide Enhancement Program (SWEP), which saw the introduction of 700 additional Paramedics, was intended to improve service delivery for patients, including response times, and improve conditions for the Paramedic workforce. We have not seen the results. NSW Ambulance (NSWA) have not increased minimum staffing levels since 2010. The outcome is that new Paramedics are being used to fill existing gaps in rosters, rather than enhance coverage to communities that desperately need more Paramedics.
It is concerning that Paramedics are still being sent to non-emergency work. In the most recent quarter, less than half the jobs attended by Paramedics were categorised as emergencies. The amount of non-emergency work Paramedics attend may risk patient outcomes in emergency situations.
“The more our workload increases, without a subsequent increase in staffing, the more patients’ lives are put at risk,” said APA (NSW) President Chris Kastelan.
“As Paramedics we want to do what’s best for our patients, and the NSW Government is hindering that by not listening to those of on the ground and in our communities,” said Mr. Kastelan.
“Resources need to be deployed appropriately. When we are tasked to non-emergency work, we are taken away from the people that need Paramedics in emergency situations.”
“We are continuing to be pushed beyond our limits with unrealistic demands from NSWA that result in a lot of overtime and a loss of meal breaks.”
