Victoria-NSW border residents at 'greater risk' of ambulance delays due to communication glitch
- 7 months ago
#health #ambulanceservices #paramedics #emergency
The Victorian Ambulance Association says "unnecessary delays" are putting lives at risk in 38 communities bordering New South Wales and Victoria, where it claims residents may not be able to get the nearest ambulance when they call Triple-0. Highlights Border residents face 'unnecessary' ambulance delays due to cross-border telecommunications issue The Victoria Ambulance Association claims a woman of a heart attack while waiting for an ambulance in Rutherglen in March. Ambulance Victoria and the NSW Ambulance Service are working on a new Memorandum of Understanding. The 61-year-old Victorian woman called an ambulance, with the nearest station being in Corowa, New South Wales, the ABC was told. The union said there was a 12-minute delay in dispatching the ambulance, which was sent from Victoria rather than the nearest station in NSW. The union could not confirm where the ambulance came from. The union did not claim that the woman's death was caused by a delay in the call, but said its members had been expressing concerns about cross-border interventions for 12 months. "They're trying to get some traction with their management and Ambulance Victoria management about the desperate need for action here. But that hasn't happened," Mr Hill said. “There is no doubt that this communication problem puts people at serious risk of harm if they live in a cross-border community.” Ambulance Victoria said it was working on a new memorandum of understanding with the NSW Ambulance Service to help better serve cross-border communities. 2 hour wait for ambulance Lynette says healthcare at the border isn't good enough. Lynette Smith, from the border town of Howlong in NSW, said she was too scared to wait for a local ambulance. The infections have continued since her husband Peter had his hernia removed in April. Two weeks ago, as his health was deteriorating, she decided take him to Melbourne for specialist care rather than waiting for an ambulance or going the local hospital. On arrival she was admitted to intensive care. "I believe that because of this absolute disaster of the cross-border system, if I had not brought down my husband myself, I would have lost him," she said from a hospital room in Melbourne. "I cut out the middleman." Last year, her husband Peter Cullinan waited two hours for an ambulance to arrive as he lost liters of blood. The skin graft on Mr Cullinan's leg had ruptured, causing his foot to bleed "like a running tap". Mrs Cullinan said her husband lost almost three pints of blood. "I put a compression bandage on my husband and used a towel. I couldn't apply anything more to my husband's wounds because one of his veins burst," she said. You're absolutely petrified about losing the person you love." Ms Smith said Triple-0 contacted her half an hour after she first contacted the emergency services, saying it could take up to two hours for the ambulance to reach her. "You feel absolutely powe
The Victorian Ambulance Association says "unnecessary delays" are putting lives at risk in 38 communities bordering New South Wales and Victoria, where it claims residents may not be able to get the nearest ambulance when they call Triple-0. Highlights Border residents face 'unnecessary' ambulance delays due to cross-border telecommunications issue The Victoria Ambulance Association claims a woman of a heart attack while waiting for an ambulance in Rutherglen in March. Ambulance Victoria and the NSW Ambulance Service are working on a new Memorandum of Understanding. The 61-year-old Victorian woman called an ambulance, with the nearest station being in Corowa, New South Wales, the ABC was told. The union said there was a 12-minute delay in dispatching the ambulance, which was sent from Victoria rather than the nearest station in NSW. The union could not confirm where the ambulance came from. The union did not claim that the woman's death was caused by a delay in the call, but said its members had been expressing concerns about cross-border interventions for 12 months. "They're trying to get some traction with their management and Ambulance Victoria management about the desperate need for action here. But that hasn't happened," Mr Hill said. “There is no doubt that this communication problem puts people at serious risk of harm if they live in a cross-border community.” Ambulance Victoria said it was working on a new memorandum of understanding with the NSW Ambulance Service to help better serve cross-border communities. 2 hour wait for ambulance Lynette says healthcare at the border isn't good enough. Lynette Smith, from the border town of Howlong in NSW, said she was too scared to wait for a local ambulance. The infections have continued since her husband Peter had his hernia removed in April. Two weeks ago, as his health was deteriorating, she decided take him to Melbourne for specialist care rather than waiting for an ambulance or going the local hospital. On arrival she was admitted to intensive care. "I believe that because of this absolute disaster of the cross-border system, if I had not brought down my husband myself, I would have lost him," she said from a hospital room in Melbourne. "I cut out the middleman." Last year, her husband Peter Cullinan waited two hours for an ambulance to arrive as he lost liters of blood. The skin graft on Mr Cullinan's leg had ruptured, causing his foot to bleed "like a running tap". Mrs Cullinan said her husband lost almost three pints of blood. "I put a compression bandage on my husband and used a towel. I couldn't apply anything more to my husband's wounds because one of his veins burst," she said. You're absolutely petrified about losing the person you love." Ms Smith said Triple-0 contacted her half an hour after she first contacted the emergency services, saying it could take up to two hours for the ambulance to reach her. "You feel absolutely powe