Queensland paramedics exhausted by callouts to COVID-19 patients with mild symptoms
Queenslanders with COVID-19 are still calling triple-0 for help, even if they have mild symptoms and do not require emergency health care, putting a huge strain on the state's ambulance service already on its knees, the union representing ambulance workers says.
Key points:
- Triple-0 calls have risen to about 3,700 each day in Queensland — a 32pc jump compared to January last year
- Non-essential COVID-19 calls to triple-0 are taking a toll on the overwhelmed health workforce
- Telstra is to update its triple-0 recorded voice announcement, to redirect people seeking help with COVID-19 symptoms
As the state battles its Omicron outbreak and edges towards a predicted peak in infections sometime in the next two weeks, pressure is mounting on the already stretched Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) and operations centres.
Emergency calls have risen to about 3,700 each day, on average, across Queensland, which is a 32 per cent jump compared to January 2021 and up from about 3,000 calls last November.
United Workers Union (UWU) national ambulance coordinator Fiona Scalon said Queensland paramedics were rushed, exhausted and overwhelmed with the increased demand.
She said paramedics were asked to take on extra shifts, work additional hours with no break, and attend call-outs alone.
"Our members, many do their shifts without a break … going from one job straight to another," Ms Scalon said.
"They'll be waiting at a hospital ramp for hours on end, waiting to hand over care of patients because emergency departments [EDs] don't have anywhere to admit their patients to.
"But there are constant calls waiting to be responded to."
Ms Scalon said it was "pretty distressing" for paramedics "to know that there's need in the community – and you're stuck sitting at a hospital".
"That's really impacting on them … and they're tired," she said.
Wait times have blown out across Queensland, with reports of some people waiting up to six hours for urgent ambulance call-outs and up to 18 hours for less urgent calls.
On the Gold Coast, one GP said an ambulance had pulled up at her clinic to assess someone they couldn't take to hospital because hospitals were full.
Worried COVID patients putting enormous strain on QAS
One Queensland paramedic told the ABC she estimated about 80 per cent of call-outs on recent shifts were worried COVID-19 patients, complaining of symptoms, but did not require emergency department attention.
Ms Scalon said non-essential COVID-19 calls were taking a toll on the workforce.
"The service is very good at getting the resources to the people who need them most quickly well — they do prioritisation … triage processes well," she said.
"But sometimes even the most critical people needing treatment – if there's not a car to send to someone, there's not a car.
"All those ones who could have perhaps waited to see their GP or gone to an urgent care centre, are stopping all those [critical] calls from being responded to."
'Not just having a fever, runny nose or cough'
Queensland Chief Health Officer John Gerrard on Saturday pleaded for people not to call triple-0 unless they become breathless walking between rooms in their house and need to stop to take a breath, "as if you've climbed a steep hill".
"Then you probably need to come to hospital," Dr Gerrard said.
Dr Gerrard said "significant chest pain that doesn't go away, coughing up blood or fainting", were other reasons to call an ambulance.
"Not just having a fever, runny nose or cough," Dr Gerrard said.
He said if a fever or serious symptoms persisted after 72 hours, people should seek medical advice from their GP.
'Better utilisation of resources' needed
Ms Scalon said she was concerned the system would buckle under pressure in the coming weeks.
"As more people are hospitalised, there will be less available beds than there are now," she said.
"The peak hasn't hit yet, but people are going to get sicker later this month and into February and that will be a real test of the system."
Ms Scalon said more frontline resources were desperately needed.
"We've felt there's been resources lacking … it's a government funding thing and we've taken that up with government many times," she said.
"Every now and again we'll see a boost in numbers and that's welcomed, but we need to see a lot more people on the ground to support the one's who are there now."
She said the strain on the stretched system could also be alleviated by better rostering systems, with staff shortages plaguing the workforce.
"It's no good half-an-hour before a shift calling people to try and fill a shift," Ms Scalon said.
"No-one's going to want to drop everything to a 12-, 13- or 14-hour shift with half-an-hour's notice when you've already done your full rotation — they're already tired.
"It's a better utilisation of resources that's needed … and getting better rostering systems."
Telstra updating triple-0 service message
Queensland Health Minister Yvette D'Ath said the QAS had implemented "a whole lot" of new measures to help tackle increased demand.
"Including clinicians who staff dedicated COVID telephone lines to talk to people and triage whether they actually need an ambulance to come out to them or not," she said.
On Friday, 637 new hospital beds were made available in the private hospital system in the state and a further 800 were made available on Saturday.
Telstra is also updating its Triple-0 Recorded Voice Announcement, redirecting people seeking advice about COVID-19 or requesting assistance for COVID symptoms to contact Health Direct and the National Coronavirus Helpline.
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