Council
6 December, 2024
Britnell calls for second MICA
MEMBER for South West Coast Roma Britnell has called for a second mobile intensive care ambulance for Warrnambool.
Speaking in parliament last week, Ms Britnell urged the government to equip Warrnambool with adequate ambulance resources.
She highlighted the pressing need for much-needed upgrades to ensure that emergency medical services can respond effectively to the community’s growing demands.
“Currently, a mobile intensive care ambulance (MICA) paramedic is often dispatched in a sedan, limiting their ability to respond to emergencies that require more than one person,” Ms Britnell said.
“In critical situations, such as cardiac arrests, a single MICA paramedic is expected to perform life-saving procedures like intubation, cannulation and defibrillation, all with just one pair of hands.
“This unrealistic expectation puts both the paramedic and the patient at risk.”
She said it was “now time” to allocate two highly skilled MICA paramedics to attend emergencies with a fully equipped ambulance.
“Many regions in Victoria, even those far smaller than Warrnambool, have the standard of two paramedics with a fully equipped ambulance. It is unacceptable that our community does not receive the same level of care.
“Why does Ararat, with a population a third of Warrnambool, have two MICAs and Warrnambool has one?”
Ms Britnell also expressed concern over the lack of opportunities for local paramedics to upskill and become fully qualified MICA paramedics.
“Currently, those wishing to advance their training must leave the area, which is not feasible for many due to family commitments. This situation deprives Warrnambool of the chance to enhance its local emergency medical services.”
She added that it was well understood that training locally improved the ability to attract and retain our own personnel.
A recent five-year plan revealed no intention from the state government to allocate a third ambulance to the Warrnambool ambulance station.
“With the population of Warrnambool having increased significantly over the past 15 years, the current resources do not meet the demand,” she said.
“The ambulance officers do an extraordinary job under extreme pressure. While I welcome the recent pay increase, they also need the necessary resources to perform their duties to the highest standard.”
She believes there is nothing more debilitating for a healthcare worker than losing a patient due to insufficient resources.
As a former nurse, she said she empathised with local ambulance officers who were desperately in need of a third ambulance to meet the growing demands of the community.
The state government is currently conducting an inquiry into Ambulance Victoria, with submissions due by February 28, 2025.
“I encourage members of the community to contribute to this inquiry and share their experiences of local ambulances services,” Ms Britnell said.
“This is an important way that the community can support our local ambulance officers and keep the pressure on the government to improve resources and funding.”
