The Australian Paramedics Association has called for increased staffing after multiple Hunter crews were forced to travel to the Central Coast on Thursday to complete extra work following their 12-hour shifts.
In a media release issued on Friday, the APA said it had "growing concerns that the community of Newcastle, the Inner Hunter and the Central Coast" was being "put at risk" by the number of crews being sent out of area to "prop up what seems to be inadequate paramedic numbers".
The APA's state president, Chris Kastelan, said Hunter paramedics were regularly reporting that staff numbers were at "minimum levels".
"They have had enough of it and are concerned for the safety of the public," he said.
"On top of that, having cars sent to other areas means the Hunter is short."
Mr Kastelan said Friday's press release was prompted by multiple crews being sent out of area on Thursday.
"We have been advised that paramedics from the Hunter area, were advised at the end of their 12-hour shift that they were not allowed to complete their shifts, instead being told to head up to half an hour into the Central Coast to complete ... a large number of outstanding cases," he said, adding the APA was aware Central Coast crews had worked "18-hour shifts with no breaks".
He said the staffing issues were an ongoing problem NSW Ambulance management had failed to resolve.
"There are so many areas of NSW that continually go under-resourced due to NSWA management's apparent lack of foresight to acknowledge population growth, seasonal factors, and staffing issues and this is nothing new for Newcastle and the Central Coast," he said.
"This can't carry on and the community truly need staffing enhancements to the area immediately".
A NSW Ambulance spokesman did not deny paramedics worked 18 hours.
"NSW Ambulance experienced a high level of demand on the Central Coast [on Thursday]," he said. "NSW Ambulance triages all Triple Zero (000) calls to ensure paramedics respond to the most critical patients first."
He added the agency's 2020-21 budget was $1.056 billion - an increase of $50 million on the year prior - and 700 additional paramedics were being employed over four years, including 43 who had "commenced across the Central Coast to enhance the ambulance response and transport capacity in the area".
