Aaron Violi (Casey, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I recently had the privilege of meeting many of our dedicated local paramedics at the Lilydale Ambulance Victoria branch alongside my state colleague, Bridget Vallence MP. It was incredible to hear firsthand their stories. It's a role of many highs and satisfaction in getting to help others, but, on the other hand, our paramedics also face many challenges and sacrifices. I would like to thank those paramedics who shared their stories to highlight some of the challenges they are facing as they intersect with the Victorian health system. I left our meeting in no doubt that the health system in Victoria needs urgent improvement, and I would like to share some of their experiences with the House.

This is from one of the paramedics:

After the Covid-19 emergency was over, my workplace conditions and the standard of healthcare for the community had been profoundly negatively affected. Ramping at hospital emergency departments has become totally entrenched.

The ED's simply told us there were no beds and we waited. I have spent an entire shift ramped at Maroondah Hospital, leaving Lilydale without ANY ambulance coverage overnight.

I often had the Yarra Junction and Healesville ambulances for company, ramped on night at Maroondah ED leaving all of the Casey electorate with no coverage.

Another said:

This patient was in Warburton. He could not get out of bed and was dizzy. He was the nicest man. We could not move him with just the two of us. He could not walk due to his condition.

My partner and I made friends with him while we waited for backup. It was 55km away and he began to deteriorate in our care. I realised he was bleeding internally, silently, smiling as he did so.

He died 20 minutes after we arrived at Maroondah Emergency Department. I did my paperwork while his widow screamed and cried in the background. I will not forget that job.

Another paramedic explained ambulance ramping at our hospitals. She has been told that nurses are overwhelmed and forced to ramp, so she has to look after the patient. She said:

Somewhere along the line the Ambulance Service stopped being about providing emergency health care to the community and is instead now required to prop up the entire health system.

This is taking a toll on our paramedics and we are seeing increased burnout in our junior workforce.

These are heartbreaking stories that show dysfunction within Ambulance Victoria and the Victorian health system. Our paramedics must be supported to continue providing emergency care across our communities. Their lives shouldn't be impacted by a poorly run state hospital system.

Our local first responders that I met have asked me to continue our community campaign to establish an urgent care clinic in the Yarra Ranges to take pressure off our hospitals and free up our paramedics to respond where they are truly needed. Again I stand in this House, calling on the Albanese Labor Government to invest in our communities' health and establish one of their new 29 urgent care clinics in Casey.

The coalition's plan to increase GPs in rural and regional areas will also take some of the pressure off the health system, with incentive payments to attract students to the field of general practice. I will continue fighting for the health care that our community deserves and to improve the wellbeing of our region while taking pressure off our paramedics and the failing state government emergency departments.

This also includes mental health reform. I'll continue to campaign and call on the government to reinstate the 20 mental health Medicare funded services that were increased during COVID and were cut to 10 by this government despite the report indicating they should remain at 20. It's time for better local health care in Casey, whether it's visiting a GP, an urgent care clinic or mental health support.