The Lakes Entrance community could not help but notice messages written on the windows of ambulances locally, and throughout Victoria. But what is it all about?
Lakes Post spoke with paramedic and union representative at the Lakes Entrance Ambulance Station, Hugh recently.
He explained it is part of getting their message across to the general public about a crisis that is happening within Ambulance Victoria.
“Staff retention is a huge issue within the service with studies showing that 50 per cent of all paramedics and ambulance workers quit within five years. Half the workforce has been in the job less than five years and one in five are looking to leave the job within 12 months,” Hugh said.
The Victorian Ambulance Union (VAU) reports Victorian paramedics and ambulance workers do more than 800 hours of forced involuntary overtime every day. That means they are missing out on time with their own family and cannot commit to something as simple as picking up a child after school.
IMAGE: Lakes Entrance paramedics Charlie, Alex, Hugh, Narelle and Isabella are hoping to give the general public some understanding of the working conditions of ambos through messages on ambulances. The Victorian Ambulance Union is currently fighting for better working conditions for its paramedics in a bid to stop them leaving the job within five years of starting.
