VOTE HERE

ADHSU paramedics are patient advocates. That’s why members in Southwest Sydney were pleasantly surprised when an agreement was reached between NSWA and the new Campbelltown Hospital Emergency Department, whereby patients would not be offloaded into the ambulance triage area. 

That agreement lasted exactly two months. Members have just been informed that they are to do what the NUM says and offload the patient anywhere the NUM deems fit. Obviously, Health’s KPIs are more important than patient care.

Being offloaded in an ambulance triage area is not only demeaning for the patient, it puts the paramedics who do it in potential legal jeopardy. Patients deserve better than a simple line in an EMR.

Paramedics can also come into the line of fire if a patient offloaded in the ambulance triage area becomes agitated and causes issues for their patients.

All of this is because ED NUMs want Health’s KPIs to look good.

If hospitals and NSWA won’t protect the interests of patients, maybe ADHSU paramedics can.

ADHSU delegates would like members to consider the following ban:

No ADHSU paramedic will offload a patient into the ambulance triage area or any other unsecured, high traffic, high workflow area.

Please take a moment to vote on this ban here (the vote closes at 0900 this Friday 2 September).