Media release – Health and Community Services Union, 14 December 2023
Ambulance workers consider industrial action as ramping continues to worsen
The ambulance workers’ union has today shed new light on the dire state of ambulance ramping in Tasmania, appearing before the parliamentary select committee into ambulance ramping. The stark reality revealed by HACSU indicates that ambulance response times have surged to nearly double the recommended time for urgent calls, leaving workers with no choice but to consider industrial action.
The root of the issue lies in capacity constraints and a lack of any real and decisive action from the government. Ambulance Tasmania’s overreliance on paramedic overtime further exacerbates the problem. This past Saturday witnessed a staggering 40% staffing rate in the northern region, leaving 8 crucial shifts uncovered.
HACSU Industrial Manager, Lucas Digney, expressed deep concern over the deteriorating situation. “Ambulance response times in Tasmania were already the worst in the country, and they continue to get worse. It’s soul destroying for our members, as they’re dealing with the enormous stress caused by it every day, and there is absolutely no plan to fix it.”
Lucas Digney attributed the crisis to chronic underinvestment in primary health, hospital capacity and frontline staff. Despite the government’s assurances of added staffing, many positions are either not permanently funded or remain vacant, leading to an overreliance on overtime as the primary but unsustainable solution.
“Our paramedics and ambulance workers are already the busiest in the nation. Ramping is taking an extra toll, both physically and emotionally. The burden of an underfunded and chaotic health system should not impede their ability to respond to medical emergencies and save lives. We’ve reached a breaking point, and it seems industrial action is the only way to force tangible government action.”
Media release – Anita Dow MP, Shadow Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing, 14 December 2023
Inaction on health crisis compromising safety of patients and health workers
After 10 years in office, it’s clear Premier Jeremy Rockliff and the Liberals are out of ideas for addressing ambulance ramping.
During today’s Select Committee on Transfer of Care Delays hearings, both the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) and the Health and Community Services Union (HACSU) outlined how capacity issues, patient flow problems and resource constraints are putting Tasmanians at risk.
There is deep concern patients aren’t receiving appropriate care and nurses and paramedics are working in unsafe situations, causing burnout.
As a result, our dedicated and hardworking health workers are retiring early, moving interstate where they receive better pay and conditions, or leaving the profession altogether.
Understandably, these organisations are frustrated their members have not been heard by the Rockliff Government, which is why HASCU has taken the decision to consider industrial action.
Labor has a positive plan to start improving the health system by expanding the services available at 18 rural and district hospitals to improve health outcomes and reduce pressure on major hospitals.
This will mean emergency care is available across our regions, while also allowing people to return home from our major hospitals sooner for rehabilitation and wound management.
This will help to free up beds in major hospitals for those who urgently need them, allow patients to flow more freely through the hospital system and help to alleviate ambulance ramping.
But we know our best asset is our people and that is why this initiative will be underpinned by a plan to train and recruit nurses, rural generalist doctors, nurse practitioners and allied health professionals.
A Labor Government will also invest $6.5 million to support our state’s paramedics and improve ambulance response times, creating additional permanent paramedic positions across regional Tasmania.
