New data shows service delivery has hit a five year low at NSW Ambulance, with a performance report recording worst ever response times as Paramedics gear up for another day of action over resourcing and conditions.
The Australian Paramedics Association (NSW) says residents should be alarmed over worsening response times described in the report as 'continuing a gradual downward trend over five years'.
"NSW Ambulance is very clearly underperforming and, even more concerningly, we're falling further behind with every quarter," said APA (NSW) President Chris Kastelan.
"Patients in NSW are waiting longer and longer for an ambulance, and it isn't a temporary blip because of COVID—today's figures map squarely onto a consistent downward trend over five years.
"There's no excuse for inaction in the face of these results. NSW deserves better than a Government which looks the other way as our system plummets further into crisis."
The Bureau of Health Information (BHI) report shows median response times for the highest priority P1A cases blowing out to 8.8 minutes, their slowest on record, in the October-December quarter. Priority 1 (P1) and Priority 2 (P2) patients waited an average of 14.1 and 25.1 minutes, respectively.
The percentage of calls receiving a response within clinically determined benchmark timeframes sunk to 55.5% for P2 cases, 43.8% for P1, and 60.7% for P1A responses.
"It's quite clearly unacceptable for less than half of Priority 1 incidents to receive an ambulance on time," said Mr Kastelan.
"In an emergency situation, every minute counts. But in NSW, median response times have increased by three minutes in the past four years alone.
"The Government needs to step up, listen to frontline workers, and invest in better outcomes.
"We urgently need another 1500 Paramedics just to bring staffing ratios in line with other states."
In addition to more staff, the union is demanding better pay to keep Paramedics in the job; plus an investment in specialist Paramedics who can treat patients at home to reduce strain on the healthcare system.
The next day of action is planned for Monday March 21, when Paramedics will refuse to undertake staff movements (moving away from rostered stations once on shift) for 24 hours.
