Striking paramedics are assuring patients in the western NSW health district their calls for triple-0 emergencies will be responded to but they won't move outside their stations for 24 hours as part of demands for improved services, more staff and over 2.7 per cent pay rise.
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"We did not stand down on our demands last week and this week, we are saying the same exact issues that NSW Health is refusing to meet," David Truscott, representative of the western NSW Australian Paramedics Association said.
"The minister refused to come to the table we're getting incredulous response all the time and frankly, its ridiculously out of touch."
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Mr Truscott said paramedics were not standing down on their call for extra 1500 staff to avoid staff movements that require long hours and long distance travels in between stations.
They also want the NSW Health to put in place critical training programs for paramedics to enable them to respond to patients requiring emergency treatments such as dressing wounds while waiting to be transferred to hospital.
"Ambulances will come when they call triple-0 but what we will refuse are non-urgent transfers so they are available for emergencies."
This is the second time this month two large health workers unions - the APA and the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association have voted to stage statewide 24-hour strikes. The nurses and midwives are staging theirs across the state on Thursday.
The nurses, midwives including other allied health service staff are walking out of their jobs at hospitals in Dubbo, Orange, Bathurst and other smaller hospitals and health service units.
NSW Health has issued a warning to the NSWNMA "to minimise disruption to important health services to the community" and brought it before the IRC which made a decision last Friday to upheld the NSW Health position.
The IRC ordered NSWNMA "to immediately cease organising and refrain from taking industrial action on March 31."
NSWNMA representative, Tracey Coyte is adamant they "aware of the order but we are going ahead" because demands for 4.7 per cent pay rise and "critical staffing shortage" have been ignored.
Though the strike will proceed, "no hospital would be closed for there will be critical staffing on shift."
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Elizabeth Frias
I began my news reporting days in western and inner west Sydney before joining the Daily Liberal's Dubbo NSW newsroom. Telling all sorts of stories about people, places and events is my daily preoccupation so email me at elizabeth.frias@austcommunitymedia.com.au and I'll be in touch!
I began my news reporting days in western and inner west Sydney before joining the Daily Liberal's Dubbo NSW newsroom. Telling all sorts of stories about people, places and events is my daily preoccupation so email me at elizabeth.frias@austcommunitymedia.com.au and I'll be in touch!
