Paramedics are demanding better conditions during patient drop-off at St George and Sutherland hospitals.
Australian Paramedics Association (APA) NSW – the union that represents the majority of paramedics who work for NSW Ambulance, have blasted both hospitals, stating that they fail to provide adequate on-the-job facilities.
The association on behalf of its members, claims that paramedics complete clinical notes in small rooms, hallways or common waiting areas alongside patients and their families.
Another claim made was that paramedics do not have access to staff kitchens where they can heat up their lunch, so they eat in their parked vehicles in the emergency bays.
President of APA (NSW) Chris Kastelan, a full-time paramedic, says the layout of many Sydney hospitals are to blame.
“The architecture of these facilities only really consider a quick handover of patients,” he said.
“It is a concern that there is no designated area where paramedics can do their computer work, or have a cup of tea.”
Fellow paramedic and asssociation executive member, Liu Bianchi, says the union’s calls for improvements have been ignored.
“Appropriate places to do data entry work while we write treatment notes about patients is non-existent,” she said.
“We want dedicated spaces. Paramedics deserve better treatment.”
The union has attacked several public hospitals in Sydney – mostly those in western suburbs, but it did say paramedics in St George and the Shire were also not happy with arrangements within the local health district.
Ms Liu says St George and Shire paramedics are regularly forced to complete their patient clinical notes in areas that are not fit for purpose.
At Sutherland hospital, only one paramedic can fit into the designated small room that has one chair, she says.
It is a similar scenario at the busy St George emergency department, she says, where much of the space in the paramedics’ room is taken up by a printer.
“When four to 10 ambulances are ramped at St George, this equates as eight to 20 paramedics standing while they're waiting with their patients on stretchers,” she said.
“With one tiny room for paramedics to complete their paperwork, paramedics resort to typing up clinical notes standing up, sitting on foot stools or completing paperwork in ambulances.
“Paramedics do not possess swipe cards to access hospital staff rooms even though they are NSW Health employees.
“Sutherland Hospital is the newest hospital in the region, yet the needs of paramedics, who are employees of NSW Health have been blatantly ignored.”
Another paramedic says the triage room is very small at St George.
“There are dividing curtains but there is little to no privacy for the patients, especially during handover.
“There is a microwave available upstairs in the nurses tea room but you need a swipe. There's a microwave at the opposite end of the building in the short stay area where we don't need a swipe, but that's a far distance to go and heat your food.
“The air-conditioning constantly has issues. The doors into the hospital corridor often have to be held open for fresh air to flow in.”
The same paramedic added that Sutherland’s triage bay was “below standard from the day it opened.”
But a spokeswoman for South Eastern Sydney Health District says it works closely with NSW Ambulance to ensure its staff are well cared for at all times.
She says both hospitals have allocated workstation areas in the emergency department, where they can document patient notes.
“Paramedics are able to access other spaces in emergency department clinical areas to complete administrative duties if required during busy periods,” she said.
She also says paramedics have access to hospital staff tea rooms and bathrooms.
“The tea rooms have facilities including fridges and microwaves,” she said.
“St George and Sutherland Hospitals’ general managers are available to discuss any concerns that paramedics may have in relation to their work areas.”
