Just over 77% of members voted to ban offloading patients in Ambulance Triage areas (see previous Newsletter here).

This ban is now in force and remains indefinitely.

As it turns out, the hospital (and now NSWA), is probably breaching its own policy on where paramedics can offload patients. The Triage of Patients in NSW Emergency Departments Policy clearly says that transfer of care is to occur in ‘defined clinical areas within the ED or transfer to the waiting room where appropriate’ [emphasis added]. It should be noted that MoH mandates compliance with the directive.

Ambulance Triage Areas are not defined clinical areas.

Excerpt from the MoH policy:

Well done to all those who voted on this important issue.