United front emerges to tackle ramping

UWU State Secretary Carolyn Smith, AMA (WA) President Dr Kyle Hoath, HSU State Secretary Naomi McCrae, and ANF State Secretary Romina Raschilla at the historic media conference on 1 October.

WA’s health workforce, including those represented by the AMA (WA), have united to say “never again” to the ramping crisis that is occurring this year, and are putting forward a positive five-point plan to tackle the underlying causes of ramping.

September broke yet another ambulance ramping record, with more than 7,250 hours, after both July and August surpassed 7,000 hours.

“We don’t want to be a broken record on ramping, but neither do we want to keep breaking ramping records,” AMA (WA) President Dr Kyle Hoath said.

“As the peak body for WA’s doctors, the AMA (WA) is pleased to stand with our fellow health unions in advocating for this solutions-based approach, and call on the Government to work with us in achieving outcomes.

“For the sake of the WA community, and all healthcare workers, we need to reduce ramping drastically.
We need to do it now.”

Health workers and an unprecedented alliance of health unions who cover more than 90,000 health workers in WA – the AMA (WA), the Australian Nursing Federation (ANF), the Health Services Union (HSU) and United Workers Union (UWU) – are ready to work constructively with the Cook Labor Government to tackle ramping.

Health workers are united on the fixes needed, and they are putting forward positive, solutions-focused measures. The five-point plan is endorsed by doctors, nurses and midwives, allied health professionals, health support staff and ambulance workers.