More ambulance staff are needed

If the Central Coast doesn't need more ambulance staff, then why did the Health Services Union go on national television (four weeks ago) and call for 300 more staff and for the sacking of the CEO.

The CEO of the ambulance services has known for five years that this area needs more staff, but as usual he has done nothing to fix the problem.

That's why he needs to be removed from this position and someone put in place that is prepared to do something.

It's just not good enough that someone has to wait 40 minutes for an ambulance.

As the wife of an ambo, I know how the poor ambos feel knowing that, if there were more staff, the patient might have had a better chance of survival?

They have to have that pressure put on them time and time again.

It's not sustainable.

The Health Minister has known there are problems on the Central Coast, and Mr Morris Iemma knew too years ago when he was Health Minister.

I feel sorry for the ambos who are put under far too much pressure to provide a service to the public, with no support from the very people who are running the State.

Yes Marie Andrews this includes you too.

I went to see you four years ago about this very problem and what did you do? Nothing!

We have the same amount of cars and staff here on the Central Coast for the past 20 years, yet the population has grown 10-fold in that time.

If you need to wait more than 10 minutes for an ambulance (which is the maximum the government says you have to wait) then ring or write to your local member.

Don't take it out on the poor ambo.

Their hands are tied with a government who don't care about the public's well being, only the bottom line dollars.

Kerrie Stirling, Umina