Minister slams radio claims

EMERGENCY Services Minister Neil Roberts and paramedics have refuted opposition claims ambulance crews have to use mobile phones when their radio system fails.

LNP emergency services spokesman Ted Malone said the ambulance communications network was “well past its use-by-date”.

“It remains largely analogue-based and frontline paramedics are often forced to use their own mobiles to call their comms centre when the system fails,” Mr Malone said.

“There are thousands of black spots in the coverage and when the vehicle radios aren’t working, paramedics have to use their own mobiles to call either for extra crews or instructions on where to take sick and injured patients.”

Mr Malone said the department’s new $80 million communications centre had turned into a “white elephant,” but Mr Roberts had “sat on his hands and done nothing to upgrade the ambulance radio network”.

However, Mr Roberts said in Parliament this week the State Government had “invested heavily in upgrading technology within the Ambulance Service”.

“Millions of dollars have been spent on upgrading the computer aided dispatch system and money has been spent on upgrading the communication systems,” Mr Roberts said.

“Every opportunity has been taken to invest in the Ambulance Service and to improve resources available to ambulance officers.

“We have invested $78 million in a new triple-0 emergency communications centre at Kedron.”

Ambulance union organiser Kroy Day supported the government’s position.

“I think it’s bit of a beat-up to be honest,” Mr Day said.

“There would be advantages to a digital system what we’re got isn’t a bad system. The government has put in a number of repeaters around the state where there were black spots and where there are still black spots we use satellite phones.”

He said while paramedics using mobile phones was not part of standard operating procedure, it was a personal preference rather than a desperate measure.

“I’ve been a paramedic for 20 years and I’ve never had a problem with contacting hospitals over the radio and I’ve worked in rural and urban areas,” he said.