NSW: Inquiry into ambulance delay launched

AAP General News (Australia)
02-12-2000
NSW: Inquiry into ambulance delay launched

An inquiry is underway to determine whether funding cuts contributed to the death
of a New South Wales man who waited more than an hour for an ambulance.

State opposition health spokeswoman JILLIAN SKINNER says 75-year-old RICHARD MUNDAY
died at Bowral on Monday night because the ambulance service tried to save money on overtime
bills.

Instead of paying local staff to cover the out-of-hours emergency, a crew was sent
from Picton, 45 kilometres away.

NSW Ambulance Service chief executive officer GREG ROCHFORD says the service has launched
an investigation into the incident.

He's ruled out reluctance to pay overtime to on-call officers as the reason for calling
the distant Picton ambulance.

AAP RTV ls/jd/msk/jn/gmw/rp/wz k

KEYWORD: AMBULANCE INQUIRY (SYDNEY)

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