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Elderly Newcastle Woman’s Five-Hour Wait for Ambulance Highlights NSW Healthcare Strain

today25 October 2024

Background

A 74-year-old Newcastle resident was left waiting over five hours for emergency assistance after suffering a spinal injury, highlighting the ongoing pressures facing New South Wales’ healthcare services.

Patricia (surname withheld) called Triple Zero (000) at 8:30 pm on Friday, 18 October, experiencing severe back pain. Despite her condition, an ambulance did not arrive until 9:30 am the following morning.

“Throughout the night, NSW Ambulance kept calling to apologise for the delay, telling me they were attending to higher priority emergencies,” Patricia recounted. “By 2am, I couldn’t stay awake any longer, so I cancelled the ambulance.”

With no immediate help available, and her son not answering his phone, Patricia attempted to walk to her son’s home early the next day for help. “I barely made it down the stairs,” she said.

Upon arriving at the hospital, an MRI scan revealed she had a broken bone in her spine.

In response to the incident, a NSW Ambulance spokesperson offered an apology. “NSW Ambulance sincerely apologises to the patient for the wait they experienced and the distress this caused,” the spokesperson said. “Unfortunately, there was a large number of Triple Zero (000) calls in the area at the time, which included higher priority emergencies, contributing to the delay in attending the patient. A review confirmed the patient was assigned the correct response priority category. NSW Ambulance continued to keep in touch with the patient, who elected to cancel the ambulance. The patient was provided with advice to call back if their condition worsened in any way.”

The Australian Paramedics Association (NSW) highlighted systemic issues affecting emergency response times in a letter to Newy 87.8. “The delays paramedics are facing are often tied to broader systemic issues like ambulance ramping and lack of resources in our hospitals,” said Brendan McIlveen, Secretary of the Association. “This isn’t just a paramedic issue; it’s a healthcare system issue.”

Mr McIlveen said these delays are becoming increasingly common. “Paramedics are being stretched thin due to ramping at hospitals, which means ambulances are tied up waiting to transfer patients rather than being available to respond to new emergencies,” he said. “It’s becoming increasingly common for paramedics to experience significant delays, not because of a lack of willingness to respond, but because they are held up by the system, waiting hours at hospitals before they can attend the next call.”

He also noted that while healthcare professionals are doing their best, the system requires more support. “While doctors, nurses, and paramedics are all doing their best to manage these situations, the reality is that our healthcare system needs more support. Without proper resources, these kinds of delays will continue to affect patient care,” he said.

“At the core of these delays is a healthcare system that hasn’t kept pace with growing demand,” Mr McIlveen added. “We need more funding for staff, beds, and infrastructure so that paramedics can respond to emergencies as quickly as possible.”

Recent data from the Bureau of Health Information supports these concerns. Between January and March this year, only 71.1% of patients in the Hunter New England district were transferred from paramedics to emergency department staff within the target 30 minutes—the lowest rate on record. At John Hunter Hospital, that figure drops to 62.5%.

“These systemic failures are putting immense pressure on paramedics and the communities they serve, and we urgently need reforms to ensure that all patients receive timely and appropriate care,” Mr McIlveen said.

The NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association also pointed to staffing shortages, particularly in midwifery. Assistant General Secretary Michael Whaites stated, “We urgently need to see midwifery-related ratios implemented in all postnatal wards. Safe staffing levels on all maternity wards are critical to alleviate the pressures midwives are experiencing right now.”

Newy 87.8 can reveal that efforts are being made to address these shortages. In a recent report, Hunter New England Health welcomed 140 new, skilled, registered nurses from the United Kingdom and Ireland as part of a broader initiative to bolster healthcare services in the region.

However, healthcare professionals argue that more comprehensive action is needed. “At the core of these delays is a healthcare system that hasn’t kept pace with growing demand,” Mr McIlveen reiterated. “We need more funding for staff, beds, and infrastructure so that paramedics can respond to emergencies as quickly as possible.”

Newy 87.8 reached out to the Hon Ryan Park MP, State Minister for Health, for comment. A representative from his office said, “As this is operational in nature, it’s best directed to the NSW Ambulance..”

As for Patricia, she hopes that sharing her experience will shed light on the challenges faced by both patients and healthcare workers. “I just don’t want this to happen to anyone else,” she said.

 

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Written by: Newy Staff


Newy 87.8 FM is an FM radio station established in 2014 targeting Classic Hits music enthusiasts across Newcastle and The Central Coast, Australia. The station plays 60s 70s and 80s music. The station can be streamed online via this website or smart phone apps such as Tunein. In 2024 we opened a local newsroom dedicated to publishing Newcastle News.

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