ORANGE paramedics concerned by insufficient staffing levels will meet with member for Orange Andrew Gee next Monday.
The paramedics will comprise a Health Services Union representative and staff who will outline their case for more staff to be allocated to the Orange ambulance station.
Orange has had only a slight increase in the number of paramedics in the last 20 years, despite significant population growth.
HSU representative Ian Spurway has told the Central Western Daily the staffing shortage means paramedics are regularly called on to work double shifts.
Orange has two ambulance crews rostered on during the day and one at night.
The Ambulance Service of NSW says the organisation has an effective fatigue policy that paramedics can use at any time, however paramedics say they are reluctant to do that because of a strong sense of responsibility to the community.
The paramedics have already met with Orange mayor John Davis, who, unanimously supported by councillors, has vowed to lobby the state government to secure more paramedics for Orange.
Council began that process by writing to Mr Gee on August 27 calling for his support in the matter.
Paramedics told Cr Davis the new Orange hospital had significantly increased their workload, while the closure and downgrading of many smaller hospitals in the area had added enormously to paramedics’ workload.
Mr Gee has declined to make any statements on the issue until he has met with the delegation.