Death investigated after ambulance not available for medical emergency
An investigation has been launched after a man died shortly after his family drove him to the Royal Hobart Hospital because no ambulances were available.
On Saturday night, a man's life was claimed after his family had to transport him to Royal Hobart Hospital due to the unavailability of ambulances for 25 minutes. The Department of Health initiated an investigation following the man's demise in the hospital. A union disclosed that three ambulances were stationed at the hospital and unable to respond to emergencies, attributable to an emergency department backlog.
The ABC learned that the man's family had contacted Triple Zero shortly before 11 PM on Saturday following a fall at a Hobart residence. The situation was initially deemed a non-urgent Priority 4 case, but about 25 minutes later, it was escalated to an emergency Priority 1 case due to the patient's deteriorating condition. However, it took another 25 minutes for an ambulance to be deployed, as there were no available vehicles.
By the time the ambulance reached the family's location, the man was no longer there, and he arrived at the hospital just before midnight in cardiac arrest. Resuscitation efforts commenced outside the hospital, followed by transport for further treatment. The man succumbed to his injuries. The Department of Health expressed condolences to the deceased's family and friends.
A comprehensive inquiry was launched by the Tasmanian Health Service and Ambulance Tasmania to probe the incident and pinpoint any immediate measures required. This investigation holds priority for the department, and additional information will be released upon conclusion, including potential referral to the coroner. The Health and Community Services Union alleged that three ambulances were stationed at the hospital during the incident, with patients unable to be transferred due to an emergency department backlog.
Despite up to four other Priority 1 cases awaiting assistance statewide, all ambulances were either stationed or attending to other cases, leading to a delayed response to the man's emergency. The union's secretary emphasized that the ambulance service did their best to dispatch an ambulance promptly, but the 25-minute delay was unacceptable.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
