The Bureau of Health Information’s Healthcare in Focus report into the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health system starkly illustrates that our emergency healthcare system is not fit for purpose.
“This data shows what has been clear to Paramedics for years: successive Government’s failures to fortify our emergency healthcare system left patients and Paramedics vulnerable at the time when they needed us the most,” says APA (NSW) President Chris Kastelan.
“In 2022, just 35% of emergency cases received an ambulance within the 15-minute-target time. In 2010, 70% of our patients were getting care on time. How is it okay that this number has halved? How low must it go before the government takes serious action to fix this crisis? How many lives have to be put at risk?” continued Mr. Kastelan.
The report also shows that between 2019 to 2022, Paramedics were responding to more jobs than ever. Priority 1 and priority 1A case (the most life-threatening category) numbers surged by 22% and 67% respectively.
“We are seeing more critical emergency callouts, and being asked to take on more and more skills to try to patch up a failing health system.”
The union says that despite their efforts during the pandemic, and despite a decade of skills increases, Paramedics have had their real terms wages cut three years running.
The union says to fix this crisis, the government must deliver a real pay rise to paramedics and deliver much needed funding to the emergency healthcare system.
“The emergency healthcare system is falling apart around this new government.
“Little will change unless they scrap the wage cap and deliver real pay increases for paramedics to keep them in the service.
“Significant expansion of accessible primary care, more specialist paramedics, investment in regional healthcare, 24/7 patient transport officers, and a reform to triaging systems are all critical components alongside paramedic pay.
“Now more than ever, the government has to stop sitting back watching our health system collapse, and actually deliver on their election promises to Paramedics and the community.
“Frankly, if the government refuses to give paramedics a real pay rise, they are spitting in the face of the workers who got us all through the pandemic,” said Mr Kastelan.
