The Canberra Times reports on strife and strain in the ACT Ambulance service:
The ACT Ambulance Service has confirmed five stations had been closed during shifts in the past two weeks, but paramedics said the number was far greater.
The Transport Workers Union said the Kambah station had been closed five times in the past week and staff in the communications centre moved to cover on-road shifts.
It is believed only one paramedic was rostered on at Dickson station on Friday, typically the busiest night of the week.
One paramedic said the service was on the brink of collapse, with staff plagued by low morale and management unable to deal with rostering issues. They said some shifts had only 11 paramedics working, well below the minimum requirement of 16.
With a lot of money on the table one has to wonder about management.
UPDATE: The ESA has, with no apparent trace of irony, announced the ambulance service has won a safer communities award:
The ACT winner was announced this morning by Ms Raelene Thompson, Assistant Secretary, of the Australian Emergency Management Institute, Australian Government Attorney-General’s
Department in a special ceremony at the Theo Notaras Multicultural Centre in Civic.The ACT Ambulance Service and ACT Health were selected for their Improving Care for People Experiencing Heart Attack or Chest Pain Project.
“The project was established by ACT Health in partnership with the ACT Ambulance Service to reduce potential delays to treatment for people experiencing heart attack or chest pain,” Commissioner Crosweller said.
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