United Voice News
Emergency Response Required for St John's Failures
LHMU commends the paramedics who have spoken out against St John Ambulance in tonight's Four Corners programme.
The Union calls upon the WA Government to take urgent and decisive action following these disturbing reports:
1. We call on the government to guarantee that no paramedics who have spoken out will be disciplined.
2. We call on the Health Minister Kim Hames to request the Coroner to investigate the deaths reported in tonight's programme as a matter of priority.
3. The cases reported in Four Corners are simply the tip of the iceberg and we call upon Dr Hames to suspend contract negotiations with St John Ambulance pending an independent, public and thorough review of the service.
"St John Ambulance claim that only a small number of paramedics are unhappy is wholly inaccurate," said LHMU Secretary Dave Kelly.
"Our members have flagged this issue with us for a long time, and have spoken out to Four Corners because there is nowhere else for them to go.
"St John Ambulance management has a closed door attitude towards their staff, despite today's claims in the media that this is not the case," Mr Kelly said.
Visit the Four Corners website at www.abc.net.au/fourcorners.
