Over an hour wait for ambulance

By Helen Tatchell

An elderly man in his 90s has waited over an hour for ambulance to arrive, after falling in a confined space.

Emergency services were called to a Ballan residential property on Tuesday 22 March at 5.16pm, with the local fire brigade attending and finding the man on the floor in a locked toilet.

A spokesperson said the man had fallen and the door did not open outwards.

“We had to take the door off at the hinges and monitored the patient until the ambulance arrived, as he was known to have a previous back injury.”

It is alleged the ambulance arrived at 6.30pm, one hour and 14 minutes after the call was made, and came from Bacchus Marsh, despite there being a 24-hour ambulance station at Ballan, only blocks away from the scene.

Ambulance Victoria would not provide the Moorabool News with an explanation for the delay or, why the paramedics were not dispatched from Ballan.

The Moorabool News did receive a brief comment from an Ambulance Victoria spokesperson.

“Ambulance Victoria has discussed our response with patient’s family and, in accordance with their wishes, will not provide any comment on this case.”

It was not made clear if AV were experiencing paramedic shortages due to COVID.

To read the full story – Simply click on the following link

https://issuu.com/themooraboolnews/docs/mn_2022-04-05/14

in the 5 April 2022 edition
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pick up a paper around your town.