NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet says he was not looking for preferential treatment when he called the health minister about his distressed wife who had become "paralysed" after a visit to the gym.
Helen Perrottet was in pain throughout the morning of February 14 , and her condition deteriorated while she was at home during the day, the premier told reporters on Wednesday.
He was at work when he called Health Minister Brad Hazzard who happened to be with Ambulance Commissioner Dominic Morgan, who then organised for a "low priority" ambulance to be sent to the premier's Sydney home.
Sometime after the premier called Mr Hazzard, another ambulance, requested by Mrs Perrottet's sister, was downgraded, and did not arrive.
"I spoke to Helen, who was in immense pain, paralysed in bed and in tears," the premier told reporters in the electorate of Riverstone.
He said he contacted Mr Hazzard directly, as opposed to calling a doctor, because the pair speak regularly, and he trusts his advice.
"He's a friend and somebody who has been around health for many, many years and he's somebody who I speak to regularly," the premier said.
"Particularly with going through COVID ... you don't want to go to hospital unless you need to go to hospital."
Mr Hazzard was in a car with Mr Morgan and a senior medical specialist, who on speakerphone advised Mrs Perrottet may have suffered a spinal injury.
"The advice I've received is that Dom Morgan, the head of NSW Ambulance, arranged for an ambulance to come out," the premier said.
Mr Hazzard later checked in with him to confirm his home address after the phone call.
Around the same time the premier called the health minister, Mrs Perrottet's sister had also made a separate call for an ambulance.
"I wasn't aware of that," Mr Perrottet said.
"All I was aware of was that I'd spoken to the senior specialist, I had spoken to Dom Morgan, they said you need to go home. Go straight home and be with your wife.
"My only concern was for her."
"I went straight home and an ambulance was arranged."
The premier said Mr Morgan classified the ambulance as "low priority" and it arrived at his home in about 40 minutes.
Asked if he would release call logs to verify the information asked of him, the premier said he would have to seek advice from NSW Health.
"I've been completely transparent in relation to this situation," he said.
With just three days to go until the NSW election, Labor leader Chris Minns declined to jump on his opponent over the issue.
"He says that he got no special treatment and I take him at his word. In a similar situation I honestly don't know what I would do," Mr Minns said.
"It's a matter for him. I'm not gonna knock the premier for the decision that he made. And again, I'm just being honest with you, I don't know what I would do in a similar set of circumstances."
Australian Paramedics Association (NSW) Secretary Alan O'Riordan said he had written to Mr Morgan to clarify if the premier's call went through appropriate triaging procedures or "if any of the normal steps were skipped due to his position".
Paramedics were calling on the premier to recognise and act on the emergency healthcare crisis," Mr O'Riordan said in a statement.
The story emerged a day after paramedics began leaving non-urgent patients at public hospitals so they could get back on the road to respond to emergency calls.
The Health Services Union says the decision was taken to address ramping, when paramedics are stuck in hospitals supervising patients with minor ailments while needed urgently elsewhere.
