FROM December 1, 2023, paramedics in Bathurst will be ditching their official uniforms and donning red T-shirts.
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Emblazoned on the back will be the words "NSW Ambulance Driver", a reflection of what they could be reduced to as NSW continues to lag behind other states in paying their paramedics for their skills.
More than 1800 paramedics across the state, who are members of the Health Services Union, are resorting to high-risk industrial action over the pay dispute and will not be renewing their registration by the November 30 deadline.
There is a grace period to the end of December. If the NSW government does not commit to change, those skilled professionals will simply be ambulance drivers from January 1, 2024.
Legally, they will not be able to treat patients. All they will be permitted to do is basic driving duties.
Bathurst paramedic Claire Green said this dispute has been ongoing for a decade, leaving herself and others no choice but to take the extreme step not to re-register.
"It's been a fight that has continued for 10 years now and it's got to the point where we're beyond frustrated," she said.
"Every other state is being recognised for the skills that they provide to their communities, and NSW falls so far behind in that aspect.
"We're tired. We're sick and tired of fighting. It's continuing on, and it's got to the point where we're at breaking point and it's going to take significant action like this to make change occur."
![Paramedics Phillip Livingstone, Claire Green and Sean Mannix with Fully Promoted's Liz Luisi (second from left), holding their new red shirts. Picture by James Arrow Paramedics Phillip Livingstone, Claire Green and Sean Mannix with Fully Promoted's Liz Luisi (second from left), holding their new red shirts. Picture by James Arrow](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/gfyFBZ2A3aREPWrpf4KzA3/fa5d35c4-4ecf-4c53-bf1f-22eb8ec12249.jpg/r0_0_5472_3648_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
It was by no means an easy decision to come to, but one they hope their community understands.
"What we want to do is make the public a little bit more aware they're going to start seeing us in red T-shirts," Bathurst paramedic Phil Livingstone said.
"The colour is red for anger, I guess. We're angry."
NSW paramedics are already leaving in droves, with 600 lost in six months, and the situation won't improve unless remuneration does.
"The government's already putting the communities around NSW at risk every day by not acknowledging and fixing this issue," Ms Green said.
NSW paramedics are the lowest paid across Australia, and they feel their pay does not reflect the skilled work they do.
Nurses and paramedics go through equivalent tertiary training, but paramedics are permitted to work more autonomously when it comes to clinical practice.
Despite this, there is a $9 an hour gap between what registered nurses and paramedics are paid.
They hope, through the industrial action, the pay for paramedics will be increased to the level seen in Queensland, which has the operating model closest to that of NSW.
Bathurst paramedics have already received support from business owner Liz Luisi, who runs Fully Promoted.
When they contacted her to inquire about getting their red shirts made up, and explained to her the reasons why they were taking this action, she immediately offered to donate the shirts.
She also gave them a good rate on the printing.
![A red shirt that read 'NSW Ambulance Driver', which paramedics in Bathurst will be wearing from December 1, 2023. Picture by James Arrow A red shirt that read 'NSW Ambulance Driver', which paramedics in Bathurst will be wearing from December 1, 2023. Picture by James Arrow](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/gfyFBZ2A3aREPWrpf4KzA3/561536a3-289c-43a0-9339-71c81aaee540.jpg/r0_0_5472_3648_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
One of the key reasons behind her decision to donate was a medical emergency her husband had in 2019.
Paramedics attended their home and quickly realised he was having a heart attack. They were able to administer lifesaving pre-hospital thrombolysis, and it's because of that he survived.
If the industrial action is not successful, paramedics will not be allowed to carry out that practice from January 1, 2024.
"Being a business owner and being in the industry that I'm in, I had to help. I couldn't not help," Ms Luisi said.
"I just think the government needs to be ashamed of themselves."
She said high school students can leave school and walk into jobs, without specialist training, where they will be paid more than paramedics.
It's not good enough, she said, and she backs the action paramedics in Bathurst are taking "10,000 per cent".
Mr Livingstone, who thanked Ms Luisi for her generosity, hopes others in the community will show their support for the plight of paramedics by contacting local Member Paul Toole's office.
The Western Advocate contacted Health Minister Ryan Park for comment regarding the action paramedics are taking.
In response, he said the NSW government is continuing to engage with paramedics around the issue.
"The NSW government acknowledges the important role paramedics play in our health system," Mr Park said.
"A significant amount of work is occurring regarding changes to the profession, clinical improvements, and integration of paramedicine into the broader health system.
"We are continuing to engage with paramedics and their representatives in good faith, as we have always done."