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Winter 2005

Ambulance service flags selling off Rescue

The Tasmanian Ambulance Service recently advised it intended to commence a review into the provision of road accident rescue in urban areas in Tasmania. This review had been mooted in the enterprise bargaining negotiations with HACSU last year.

HACSU members working in Tasmania Ambulance Service have been concerned for some time that the service was intentionally running down rescue training, vehicles and equipment in order to create a case for the transfer of this function out of the service.

Management has not made any secret of the fact that it believes that ambulance rescue is not a core function of the service.

Members believe there is absolutely no argument that with over thirty years of experience in the provision of road accident rescue, and the benefits of having a multi agency capacity to respond to emergencies, that the Tasmanian Ambulance Service is the best service to provide rescue.

HACSU members developed a comprehensive submission to the review, which outlines logical and sustainable arguments for the maintenance of rescue as a core function of the ambulance service.

Members are also committed to campaigning against any proposal to transfer this function to the Tasmanian Fire Service on public safety grounds.

A full copy of the submission can be found on the HACSU web site here