Dunedin ambulance system defended

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34104, 17 March 1976, Page 26

Dunedin ambulance system defended

(Ti.Z. Press Association) DUNEDIN. Claims of deficiencies in the New Zealand ambulance service made at the week-end have been disputed by D. G. L. Cochrane, director of accident and emergency (services at Dunedin Hospital and the St (John Ambulance Association’s principal medical officer. The claims were made at a seminar of ambulance staff in Invercargill by the director of surgery at Southland Hospital (Mr W. G. Davidson). Mr Davidson was reported by the Press Association to have said that many road deaths resulted from a lack of primary medical care at the site, and that ambulances should be doubly manned with highly trained staff who could stabilise a patient’s condition before he got to hospital. In a statement, Dr Cochrane said that, although members of the Dunedin ambulance service shared Mr Davidson’s concern about the need for more money from the Government, and

supported his efforts to get it, they regarded his generalisations as dangerous and capable of undermining the confidence of the public w here services were! efficient. “Contrary to Mr David-( (son’s claims, we do not rush (patients to hospital unless,! I in a 1 per cent instance, a I (fast transfer is directed by a [doctor or over-riding condi-; (tion,” he said. “Owing to voluntary! assistance by skilled person-! nel — senior medical students and nurses — ambu- ( lances are now double-man-ned in all medical and accident emergencies, providing the type of patient care en route to hospital envisaged by Mr Davidson. “L'nlike many ambulance' services in New Zealand, Dunedin’s is extremely for-i tunate in having well-! trained, full-time driving | officers backed by skilled' attendants,” said Dr Coch-i rane. “First aid and nursing! courses offered to the public i by St John are only basic! qualifications for the ambu-1 lance personnel.” An in-service training programme organised by a senior driving officer with the co-operation of the hospital and medical school ensured training was a continuous

process, and that all driving officers had to qualify for the Health Department's certificate within two years as a condition of employ!ment the statement said. ( Dr Cochrane said that, (largely because of the geni erosity of service organisa- ! tions and the general public, (the standard of equipment; ! was maintained to a high! [standard. He said that this,! (combined with dedicated am-| (balance crews and an unefer- ( standing, co-operative hospi-! ital board, meant that the' I services available to the sick ■ (and injured in the Dunedin, area was second to none in[ New Zealand, and high by' world standards.