Unit to take pressure off overworked ambulances
PEOPLE who ring emergency services for non-urgent medical care will soon be carted to general practitioners and community organisations in a bid to relieve Cairns Hospital’s overflowing ED.
The $360,000 low-acuity response unit, which was announced by Health Minister Cameron Dick yesterday, will be rolled out in Cairns in the coming weeks.
It is just one strategy aimed to fix incessant ambulance ramping at the city hospital.
“We certainly welcome the low-acuity units ... it has worked really well in other parts of the state,’’ said paramedic and spokesman for United Voice Neil Noble.
“At this stage it would be two vehicles that are being placed into Cairns – one day shift and one afternoon shift.
“The idea behind the lowacuity response unit is to identify patients who can have alternative pathways to go visit GPs and other services and not necessarily via the hospital.
“It reduces the number of patients presenting to the hospital but gives them a safe alternative pathway to access adequate healthcare.”
Despite local health bosses being blamed for not fixing the jammed ED, Cairns Hospital board chairman Bob Norman said the new unit should help to improve ramping.
“We’ve fleshed out the problems,’’ Mr Norman said of yesterday’s high-level health meeting. “This is not something that gets solved overnight but we do have a plan.”
He said the unit was a “fantastic initiative”.
“I think it will make a difference when it comes online,’’ Mr Norman said.
Mr Dick said paramedics would soon be recruited for the new form of patient transport.
“It helps deal with those lower-level issues that don’t necessary need to go to the hospital,’’ Mr Dick said.
“It will be several weeks before we can get this going, we do need to recruit staff.”