Paramedics: their workload is putting lives at risk

A listener wrote to say Victorian paramedics are spending hours waiting outside emergency departments rather than back on the road responding to more emergencies. This is not a problem affecting only Victorian ambos. There’s been a big jump in response times right around the country.

We’re joined by Danny Hill, secretary of Victorian Ambulance Union; and Chris Kastelan, President of the NSW branch of Australian Paramedics Assoc.

It turns out, most of the delays are Covid-induced. People aren't going to their GP so they're letting their manageable conditions spiral out of control. Paramedics are not responding to emergencies, just simple health issues. And they're overworked and stressed to the max.

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