Bathurst candidates face questions from paramedics at election forum

Two local paramedics, who also represented the Health Services Union (HSU), raised the issues facing paramedics in NSW, which include an inability to recruit at the rate necessary to fill vacancies.

One of the representatives said that NSW is unappealing due to the income disparity compared to other states.

She said paramedics don't want thanks and asked candidates to reveal what their plans are to rectify the paramedic crisis.

"We need action. We need it now before there is no paramedic to respond to your family member," she said.

READ MORE: What Bathurst candidates say they'll do to improve health services

Incumbent Paul Toole, a Nationals Party member and current deputy premier, noted that there has been attempts to address the crisis through the Paramedic Workforce Forum established in July, 2022.

He said there have been calls from the HSU more paramedics, and he believes the NSW government has listened and responded.

"That's why last year we also announced an additional 2128 paramedics and staff to be able to support them in that particular role," Mr Toole said.

"I know there was also a meeting around three weeks ago that had actually taken place with the Minister as well and I know that they are looking at things around higher scope of practice for paramedics.

"But, it is also quite complex because it also takes in the factors around various unions, it also takes in factors around awards, but it is something that's still on the agenda and, whilst I know there may not be an answer today for it, the priority and the focus that came from the HSU was around having additional numbers and that is record numbers for paramedics into the system."

Mr Toole's fellow candidates, Kay Nankervis from the Greens and Labor's Cameron Shaw, were quick to throw their support behind paramedics.

Ms Nankervis said the Greens is calling for a 15 per cent pay increase for health workers, including paramedics.

"That's what we would advocate for and we would find a way to pay for it, just the way that the current government has found a way to spend $1.5 billion on roads, announced just in the last couple of months," she said.

Labor has also made commitments to paramedics.

READ MORE: 'Going to have to be a priority': Shadow minister in town to hear about Bathurst health services

Mr Shaw outlined Labor's plan to fund 500 paramedics for regional NSW, and said that a Labor government would also abolish the wages cap.

"That means [paramedics] should be able to get paid the same amount, if not more, than the other states at the moment," he said.

"It's incredibly disappointing that we are losing our paramedics to Queensland and Victoria purely on a pay basis, and also, in saying that, Labor is investing in our paramedics in upskilling them so they can do more out in the field, which should ease pressures on emergency rooms."

A second HSU representative asked Mr Shaw specifically if he would support the HSU's proposal to change the scope of practice for paramedics, to which he said "absolutely".

The questions to the candidates came less than two weeks after a protest at Mr Toole's office, where paramedics aired their frustrations and said the HSU's proposal had "fallen on deaf ears".

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