By Natasha Wallace
Sydney Morning Herald
Copyright 2007 The Sydney Morning Herald
SYDNEY, Australia — It is a sign of a health system under stress, and even at war with itself. A doctor calls in sick at a private hospital, the emergency department asks that patients be taken elsewhere for the night — and 10 days later the ambulance service is still refusing to let officers take patients there.
In one case, it meant a 60-year-old man with chest pains had to be driven to the Hills Private Hospital by his wife — with an ambulance travelling behind because officers wanted to make sure he was OK, even though they were not allowed to take him there.
Hospital management says the head of the Ambulance Service of NSW, Greg Rochford, is a “bully boy” for ordering the continuing ban when the staff problem lasted only one night.
Full Story: Ambulance, hospital reps try to reach a resolution