Ambulance ramping has re-emerged as a problem in Queensland, says United Voice. Source: News Corp Australia
A POWERFUL union has warned ambulance ramping has spiked across Queensland in recent months.
United Voice, which represents ambulance officers, has claimed some drivers have been ordered not to park outside emergency departments so they were not counted in official figures.
“It’s bad enough that ramping is happening, but for a hospital to try to hide it is totally unacceptable,’’ United Voice delegate Torrin Nelson said.
The union claimed there had been multiple vehicle ramping incidents at Logan, Gold Coast, Redcliffe and Prince Charles hospitals since May.
It has written to Health Minister Cameron Dick and called for the return of an emergency department access initiative which significantly reduced ramping under the former Newman government.
“There’s no doubt ramping has taken off again in recent times and now is the time to deal with it before we are back to bad old day,’’ Mr Nelson said.