The paramedics union says the NSW healthcare system is in crisis with patients being kept waiting up to five hours in ambulances outside public hospitals.
The Australian Paramedics Association (NSW) says worsening 'bed block' was a symptom of poor management and resourcing and was contributing to backlogs, paramedic fatigue and slow emergency response times.
"Waiting in a queue outside a hospital for four, five hours at a time is an appalling waste of the specialised skills and training of our paramedic workforce," APA NSW president Chris Kastelan said on Monday.
At Wyong hospital on the Central Coast last week, there were more than a dozen ambulances stuck outside and patients waiting five hours to be admitted, he said.
"It's the same from Lismore to Shoalhaven, and throughout the Sydney basin," he said.
Last week Westmead Hospital had a specialised intensive care vehicle waiting for four hours -- meaning that level of care was unavailable to the wider community for the duration.
"For this to be happening all around the state -- it's a clear sign of a healthcare system in crisis."
Inefficiencies and emergency department delays had flow-on effects across the healthcare system, he said.
While paramedics are waiting with patients, the number of queued jobs keeps building up, with staff often asked to skip meal breaks and do overtime.
"Paramedics are frustrated, exhausted, and burnt out, while patients wait longer for an ambulance and often fail to get the care they deserve," Mr Kastelan said.
The union wants reform to triaging and more staff.
"One of the quickest ways to intervene would be providing better funding and support to extended care paramedics, who have the skillset to provide specialised care within a patient's home and keep them out of hospital."
