Ambos giving patients free rides | Northern Rivers News | Local News in Northern Rivers

Saffron Howden | 20th July 2009

AAP

AMBULANCE patients on the Northern Rivers will ride for free every time stations are forced to operate below minimum staffing levels.

As of last week, NSW Ambulance Service paramedics have refused to provide their management with patient data each time they are taken off station duties in Northern Rivers towns to work elsewhere, leaving stations under-manned.

The decision was made after Byron Bay and Kyogle stations were left under-staffed one day earlier this month because two paramedics were sent to Lismore.

Last week, when a two-man crew was sent to the Grafton races, it was the last straw for Health Services Union members.

“We told them we won't stand for it because it's taking ambulances off the road to go to the races,” a paramedic, who wishes to remain anonymous, said. “They told them (at Grafton) that they both had to go back to perform their on-call duties, but they made them stay,” they said.

“Basically, they're saying that the horse races are more important than the town resources.”

The paramedics have decided that each time the Ambulance Service leaves a Northern Rivers town station under-resourced, they will not pass on patient data for that period of time.

As a result, the Service will not be able to bill patients, and they will ride for free.

The ban will occur each time minimum staffing levels are not met and will continue indefinitely.

The union said the Ambulance Service was defying Industrial Relations Commission directives by continuing to operate stations below minimum crew levels.

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