Victoria’s ambulance shortages exposed after child's horror night
Crippling shortages facing Victoria’s paramedics have been laid bare after the parents of a child who wasn’t breathing were forced to drive her to hospital because the nearest ambulance was 50 kilometres away.
The incident unfolded in Melbourne in the early hours of Monday after a weekend when ambulance services were stretched to the limit.
Victorian Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said she was shocked to learn how the child was impacted by the mass shortages.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.“Obviously when I read stories like that it’s very concerning,” she said on Wednesday.
“Unfortunately, we don’t have any further information in relation to that young girl as her parents opted to drive her to hospital.”
Victorian Ambulance Union boss Danny Hill said the incident was a symptom of greater issues facing the embattled service.
“It’s terrifying because at that exact time (the parents called triple-zero), ambulances dropped to one per cent available,” he told AAP.
“This is an example of the real-life consequences of not having ambulances available.
“Paramedics are spending all of their time ramped at hospital or being sent to these low acuity cases.”
Ms Thomas rebuffed the suggestion the call dispatch system needed overhauling amid reports paramedics were being sent to too many cases that weren’t urgent.
“It is a system that is clinically governed in such a way to err on the side of caution,” Ms Thomas said.
“But I will say this, it is on all of us to ensure that our paramedics are there to respond to life-threatening emergencies.”
Ambulance Victoria Executive Director, Regional Operations Danielle North said the service was dealing with a spike in seasonal illness.
“We have as many crews on the road as possible and our priority will always be responding to the sickest and most time critical patients,” she said.
“On Saturday we worked hard to fill rostered (Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance) shifts ... including several short-notice vacancies.”
The lack of available ambulances on Monday prompted a code orange, which is triggered when just one per cent of ambulances are available.
