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To: NT Government

Our ambulance service is in crisis - put it back in public hands!

On a 41 degree day in Alice Springs, an elderly woman tripped over on an ant hill and broke her hip. For hours she lay on the ground, in the sweltering heat, waiting for an ambulance. Her story is just one of the many coming out of the ambulance crisis in the Northern Territory.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

The N.T. ambulance service is privately run - it’s one of just two privately run services in the whole country. The Government argues it is functioning satisfactorily.

We know that privatisation doesn't work. And we know that in every other state with public ambulance services, response times are faster, and paramedics are happier.

Tell the Government to put the NT ambulance service back in public hands, for the safety of Territorians, and our paramedics.

Why is this important?

Every single day, Territorians are experiencing delays due to inadequate resources and an understaffing crisis, which leaves injured and sick people waiting.

A high-quality ambulance service needs high-quality paramedics, but with St John, there is not a positive work culture and many don't see a career pathway in the N.T. service.

Training for paramedics, which allows them to do their jobs properly, as well as keep their skills in line with the rest of the country) is inadequate, so many of us leave to go elsewhere.

In states where there is a public ambulance service, there is a huge difference in service delivery, patient care, and work culture.

It's time to fix response times, instead of focusing on brand reputation. That's why paramedics are saying it's time for the service to be made public.

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Updates

2017-11-14 16:29:00 +1100

100 signatures reached

2017-11-03 18:01:36 +1100

50 signatures reached

2017-10-29 19:32:11 +1100

25 signatures reached

2017-10-03 17:05:35 +1100

10 signatures reached