NSW paramedics have hit back at Government cuts to their death and disability benefits, vowing to send twice as many paramedics to some routine call outs to reduce the risk of injury on the job.
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Following an unsuccessful appeal with the industrial relations commission, union officials are taking a “no risk” approach, saying paramedics can not afford to risk injury on the job with their benefits effectively cut by 75 per cent.
Following on from a “silent protest” against the proposed benefit cuts, paramedics will now send more man power to call outs that involve any lifting, such as a routine response to a person slipping in the bathtub.
We will have to take things into our own hands and be a bit more cautious and a bit more protective of our own safety.
- Dave Lucietto - New England Health Services Union
“We are always going to do our job for the public, they’re our number one asset,” Health Services Union New England Sub-branch president Dave Lucietto said.
“But due to the lack of the government wanting to look after us, we will have to take things into our own hands and be a bit more cautious and a bit more protective of our own safety.
“To get someone out of a bathtub who has slipped, fallen and hurt themselves is one of the most awkward situations you can get. If there is any kind of lifting we will get four officers to do it.
“We will be getting back up to help us as much as we can, obviously we are always concerned for the patient, but we are now going to have to spend a little bit more time assessing the scene and the scenario.”
An Ambulance NSW spokesman said the new death and income protection award was put in place after a previous award from 2008 was deemed financially unsustainable.
The spokesman said additional assistance in lifting patients from areas hard to access, such as a bathtub was already standard practice.
“We continuously work to identify areas of improvement in order to reduce the chance of injury occurring within our workforce. NSW Ambulance is committed to any measure which improves safety for our staff and the community,” he said.
The award began on Saturday and will be in effect for 12 months.