OUR AMBO EMERGENCY
PROBE REVEALS: Allegations against local paramedics include drug trafficking, stealing and using IVs to treat hangovers
AMBULANCE Victoria has sought help from a former top police chief after a probe into the service revealed a network of staff taking and trafficking drugs in the Geelong region.
The two-year Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) investigation tabled in State Parliament yesterday revealed nine paramedics were sacked or resigned during the probe, dubbed Operation Tone.
In one instance, a paramedic based in the Barwon South West region admitted to using illicit drugs with and supplying them to colleagues.
It was revealed they used MDMA, cocaine and ketamine recreationally and gave evidence that in July or August of 2015 another paramedic said they were interested in using fentanyl and could obtain it from paramedics in Geelong who had been stealing and using the drug.
Another paramedic in the Geelong region admitted to stealing intravenous cannulation equipment and cannulating their children — one of whom is also a paramedic — to relieve their hangovers.
In damage control yesterday, Ambulance Victoria chief executive Tony Walker said that while the report had been centred in the Barwon South West region, it was most likely a widespread problem and no patients had been affected.
“There is no evidence at all that any patients have been impacted by this small group of paramedics,” he said.
“We’re absolutely committed to implementing change to address the issues that have been identified through this report.”
He said that over the past two years Ambulance Victoria had implemented a significant number of changes including targeted drug testing, a “robust drug and alcohol policy” and “significant changes to our security to restrict paramedics’ access to drugs”.
Mr Walker said the organisation had engaged former Victoria Police Acting Chief Commissioner Tony Cartwright to support the implementation of reforms .
He said it would also submit an interim report to IBAC early next year and he was committed to releasing its findings to the public
A final report is to be ready by September of 2018.
Ambulance Employees Australia secretary Steve McGhie said the investigation results were disappointing but given there were more than 2000 em- ployees across the state, the overall results were “minimal”.
Mr McGhie said paramedics were placed under enormous pressure and “some of those factors should be taken into account when looking at why people have made these decisions”.
He said the union would like to see employee welfare officers available to support workers on a “day-by-day basis”.
Victorian Health Minister Jill Hennessy said she was “confident of Ambulance Victoria’s commitment to this investigation and its recommendations will result in continuous improvements to the management of drug and alcohol security in our ambulance services”.
Opposition health spokeswoman Mary Wooldridge said 12 months was too long for the next report.
“AV’s commitment to implementing IBAC’s recommendation is welcome, but Victorian patients cannot wait up to 12 months for further information when there are many questions outstanding,” she said.
“It is vital Ambulance Victoria publicly reassure Victorians that they are safe in the hands of paramedics by regular reporting of details of the testing regime and controls in place.”