Ambulance Sector Coordinator Craig Page says the union is pleased that paramedics will be recognised as frontline health care providers and welcomes a move towards national consistency in service delivery. He is not so happy with other aspects of the strategy.

"The draft fails to comment on the critical safety issue of single crewing in ambulances," he says. "There has been widespread public concern about this and it should not be ignored. "We are also disappointed there is no specific model for service delivery to rural and provincial communities. Population based models don't work well in these areas."

Mr Page says the report should have looked at whether ambulance services should continue to be run by individual District Health Boards.

"These services are increasingly complex and expensive and the NDU has previously recommended that there should be only one national ambulance provider. "We were not consulted prior to the release of the draft strategy. As a representative of paramedics we are a key stakeholder and should have been part of the development committee."

"Needs resuscitation," is how the National Distribution Union (NDU) and their colleagues in the Federation of Ambulance Unions (FAOUNZ) have described today's report from a select committee inquiry into New Zealand's ambulance services.

"Given a chance to bring New Zealand's cut price and fragmented ambulance services into the 21st century the committee has pointed to the failure of the current service arrangements but backed off recommending the reform needed," said NDU Ambulance Co-ordinator, Craig Page.

"The best way to deliver effective and consistent ambulance services is through one well resourced national ambulance service provider. The report has backed off recommending this even though its own analysis tends to support it. That approach is totally inconsistent with the consolidation of ambulance services in Australia and the United Kingdom,"

"The recommendation in favour of a single funding stream and longer contract duration will be undermined by the committee's tolerance of the fragmentation of the emergency ambulance sector."

"Professionals told the committee of our  concerns with a lack of regulation, multiple service providers, under-funding, poor quality assurance, inadequate network coverage and single crewing in rural centres,"

"As long as these issues are glossed over patients remain at risk," said Mr Page.

The NDU is pleased that the committee supports registration of Paramedics and the development of nationally consistent, portable tertiary level qualifications to ensure consistent standards.

"But we need a legislative structure that, defines and protects the role of Paramedics, sets out minimum standards for providers, mandates levels of performance and promotes transparency. Such legislation is common across Australia. The committee has taken the easy option and recommended regulating Paramedics. Whilst important, the real need is to regulate the myriad of public and private ambulance service providers. "

Mr Page says the committee has overestimated the role of the Fire Service in providing emergency response.

"The level of intervention in most instances is limited to basic first aid and lifting assistance, completely different from Paramedic level treatment.  Whilst recovery of costs seems reasonable, the NDU is concerned that the real issues of poor community coverage, inadequate resources and single crewing have been sidelined in favour of bolstering the Fire Service."

- ENDS -

Further information is available from:

Craig Page
National Ambulance Sector Coordinator
National Distribution Union
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Fax: 09 622 8353
DDI: 09 622 8365
Cell: 021 776 026