National

NSW paramedics refusing to bill patients

By AAP Newswire

Mar 9, 2023

NSW Ambulances are seen at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney. — NSW paramedics are taking industrial action, refusing to bill patients or move from home stations. -AAP Image

NSW paramedics are taking industrial action in their fight for more pay by refusing to bill patients or move from their home stations.

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On Thursday paramedics won't process patients' billing information and won't move from their home stations to fill gaps elsewhere.

The Australian Paramedics Association says the NSW government's failure to meet their pay demands has led to the industrial action.

"Paramedics have spent the last three years working through fires, floods and the pandemic, all to effectively receive three successive pay cuts" APA NSW President Chris Kastelan said.

The union welcomed the government's commitment to hire more paramedics in June last year, but said without changing their working conditions, paramedics would continue to leave to work elsewhere.

"The levels of burnout we are seeing are immense and paramedics are being bombarded with ads from other ambulance services from Victoria to Canada to New Zealand," Mr Kastelan said.

"One of the most common conversations I'm having with people is what career or service they're considering moving to, because what we're doing right now just isn't sustainable."