Second death increases call for action on health system in 'crisis'

Tasmanian health system in 'crisis' after two deaths linked to delayed ambulances In short: A man died in Zeehan on Saturday after waiting 78 minutes for an ambulance because the local station was unstaffed due to unfilled leave. It's the second death in Tasmania in two weeks involving delayed ambulances, albeit due to different issues, and the Labor and the Greens say it shows the system is in crisis. What's next? Premier Jeremy Rockliff says investigations have been launched into both deaths to work out the best way to prevent similar incidents. Tasmania's health system is in "crisis" after the second death of a patient involving a delayed ambulance this month, Labor and the Greens say. On Saturday, a man in the west coast town of Zeehan sought help after complaining of chest pain and breathing difficulties. The call was categorised as a "priority 1" case requiring immediate assistance, but the local ambulance station was not staffed due to unfilled leave. Paramedics in the nearby towns of Queenstown and Strahan were also unavailable because they were already attending to other cases. A Burnie crew was then assigned, but by the time it arrived 78 minutes later, the man had died. It comes after another tragedy about two weeks earlier when a Hobart family made two calls to Triple Zero (000) over the space of 25 minutes. The first call was triaged as a non-urgent matter, but the man's condition deteriorated, and by the time they called again, it was escalated to a priority 1 case. However, it took a further 25 minutes to dispatch an ambulance because none were available. According to a union, they were either responding to other cases or were ramped at the Royal Hobart Hospital because the emergency department was at capacity. The man's family ended up driving him to the hospital, but by the time they got there, he was in cardiac arrest and later died. Both deaths are being investigated by the Health Department to identify any immediate improvements that can be made. "The Tasmanian health system is no longer at breaking point, it's broken," Greens health spokesperson Cecily Rosol said in a statement. "Medical professionals have been warning for far too long that Tasmanians would lose their lives because of the worsening state of the health system. "They presented the Liberals with solutions, but the Government have failed to act. "We should never have reached this awful crisis point." Eleven per cent of paramedic shifts unfilled Ambulance Tasmania operates 51 stations across the state, including some that are staffed entirely by paramedics, and others that rely partly or fully on volunteers. The station at Zeehan, which was unstaffed on Saturday, usually has a single paramedic rostered on day shift and on call out-of-hours, with support from volunteers. The Health Department said attempts were made to fill the vacant shift through backfilling, including overtime and the use of volunteers. It said there were ongoing efforts to recruit more paramedics to the region, but the remoteness of the area created challenges. During a budget estimates hearing in June, Health Department secretary Dale Webster told the Greens about 11 per cent of paramedic shifts had been unfilled since July last year. The Greens and Labor have urged the government not to proceed with plans to find $700 million worth of savings in the health budget. "Our health system is in crisis," Labor leader Josh Willie said. "It cannot withstand further cuts. "Things will only get worse." Mr Willie said the government needed to ensure enough staff were available in regional areas. "There are clearly staff issues in regional areas where paramedics aren't available if there's an emergency," Mr Willie said. "I think many Tasmanians would be extremely concerned about these two deaths and what might happen in the future if this isn't addressed." Lessons to be learned, premier says Premier Jeremy Rockliff said the investigations into the two deaths would identify any issues that need to be addressed. "All health professionals do their very best to respond to the needs and care of Tasmanians, particularly of course in emergency situations," Mr Rockliff said. "And so we do need to ensure this and other incidents are thoroughly investigated to prevent them happening again." Mr Rockliff noted the government's transfer of care policy had reduced the amount of time ambulances are stuck at hospitals by 30,000 hours since it started. But he said the government was open to further changes to improve the system. "We need to learn from the outcomes and invest in key actions, whether that be an investment of resources or indeed an investment in finding other ways to support regional crews and ensure that our transfer of care policy is as best as it possibly could be." The Australian Medical Association last week called for an independent commission of inquiry to find holistic solutions to what it described as a "perpetual crisis". The call was dismissed by Health Minister Bridget Archer, who said it would cost more than $30 million and not help any patients.