WONDONGA, AUS. — SIX highly skilled paramedics operating solo in cars will be deployed in Wodonga next month in a move that Ambulance Victoria says will ease demand on services.
It will be the first time the city has had a Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance paramedic available around the clock.
Ambulance Victoria yesterday said the paramedics could perform advanced procedures racing to jobs as a first response rather than waiting for a stretcher vehicle.
But local paramedics still say they need a third ambulance on day and night shifts and that the single-responder units still require an ambulance back-up on each job.
Regional manager Garry Cook yesterday said the MICA paramedics were part of a larger plan to meet demand in Wodonga.
He said a non-emergency ambulance had operated for 50 hours a week for a year for medical transfers that would otherwise tie up an ambulance.
“Both these resources are additional to ambulance resources now at Wodonga,” he said.
“The single-responder unit will operate 24-hours a day, seven days a week.
“We are upgrading the skills of paramedics on the single-responder units and two paramedics completing MICA training will be placed at Wodonga, improving services even further.”
But ambulances are still required to act as a patient transfer after 6pm.
Mr Cook also admitted a rostering failure had reduced ambulance services in Wodonga last Friday.
Frustrated ambos contacted The Border Mail last weekend over ongoing staff issues that had seen one officer operate solo for 14 hours.
They said it was the third time in 10 days it had happened.
Mr Cook said Ambulance Victoria made every effort to ensure all shifts were filled.
“Whenever a paramedic calls in sick or a last-minute vacancy arises, we exhaust all options including offering the shift as overtime to off-duty paramedics,” he said.
“We also endeavour to have shifts covered in advance where we know there are vacancies.
“Sometimes it’s difficult to find staff at short notice, such was the case on Friday night.”
Mr Cook denied claims officers were being bullied into doing overtime.
“Staff can accept or decline offers,” he said.
“Ambulance Victoria does not tolerate bullying of any sort and has strong policies and procedures in place to protect and support all Ambulance Victoria personnel.”