Blog comments

• When will management admit that the millions and millions they have spent on the call taking system, and the computer aid dispatch systems was wasted money, and these two systems have largely contributed to the excessive workload, the delays in responses, and the frustration and burn out of paramedics. These systems are set up to make the times look good, to stop the clock, to meet KPIs. Since thier implementations response times are blown out, ambulances are sent to rediculous cases, long distances, and offen with no intention of actually getting to the case, but to make the computer happy that ANY car has been dispatched. Ambulances in rural areas can be directed to drive lights and sirens in high risk conditions until another vehicle becomes avaialable. Quite offen a crew will be starting a shift in minutes at the town of the case, but a car can be sent from an hour or more away will be sent to make the stats look good and keep the computer system happy. No consideration for the crew who could be puting thier lives at risk for no reason except the stats and computer requests it. Call takers do no have medical training and also rely on filling out a computer screen to respond a car. Call takers are judged on how quick they are but detail of information etc isnt an important criteria. We once had paramedics answering the phones, giving advice and dispatching ambulances with tact and planning. now it is for collecton of data, and to make the stats look good. If any one bothered to check they would see how the reponse times and every other aspect of ambulance has declined since the implentation of these systems. Then there is VACIS..

  watcha Thursday 20 October, 2011 - 7:06 PM

• DavidR, when you are waiting to handover a patient, you still have to actively manage them, no matter what the presenting problem is. You have to constantly reassess your patient, top up the medications and pain relief, and on top of that, finish the paperwork and clean the ambulance. You are not allowed to leave them. That is not a break and if you still think it is, then you are being naive. Then you get sent out to the next job because without getting a chance to eat something, drink something and go to the toilet, something that you probably take for granted. Then you are tired and hungry and someone else's life depends on the decisions you make.

  Friend of a paramedic Saturday 15 October, 2011 - 5:28 AM

• Also occured to me ... How can the Ambo staff be overworked if the stand around hospitals for hours on end "handing over patients". Seems a great way to have rest to me. Or is a break only counted if you have your feet up in the pub!!

  DavidR Friday 14 October, 2011 - 3:02 AM

• Adam, they stopped on the road training a few years ago, now you must pay for your own education-an average ambo life/career is only 5 years-you are so replaceable with upcoming uni students, having a student on board all the time is frustrating. Students take alot of effort, money & time to train. It takes one full year before you become qualified as you must demonstrate that you can handle any medical situation, otherwise you are fired, naturally b/c the end result could be death & you must know what you are doing. The less skilled you are the more responsibility the qualified paramedic takes, sometimes you cant even bounce clinical ideas off them b/c they are so junior. You only get paid 50 cents per hr to have a uni student on board in the car?!!! surprised? & if you arent a proper clinical educator you get paid nothing at all. Worse still you can have a graduate paramedic in the car with you & a uni student & at times thats a bit much. Its like being a doctor with the amount of knowledge you have to have-you have so much responsibility. 8 day course for the fireys? they are only obligated to defibb & put oxygen on & are a "stop the clock" way of reducing prolonged ambulance response times so its looks good to the government from an ambulance point of you-figure fudging. Calling 000 now officially costs less than a taxi & less than a visit to the GP? So why not abuse us?

  J Thursday 13 October, 2011 - 6:14 PM

• Let's not forget some of the delays experienced by the ambulance service are caused by people abusing the system. People attempting to queue jump, those unwilling to help themselves and looking for someone else to solve their problems, families not willing to help each other because it's too hard. The ambulance is an emergency service - perhaps it's time to remind Victorians of this

  Sue Wednesday 12 October, 2011 - 9:01 PM

• You said it Funky, incompetence is highly rewarded in Ambulance culture. The only pre-requesit to get in to management is how well you polished the bosses boots. Under qualified managers that keep on perpetuating a culture of "Bullying". Genuine management skills are not required, being able to say yes sir, how high sir and a willingness to lick the boots that kick you will get you all the way to the top.

  Par-letic Wednesday 12 October, 2011 - 2:06 PM