Council of Trade Unions

Kiwis living rurally need the same ambulance service as everyone else

Yesterday’s announcement, from the Government, that extra funding will be allocated to fund rural ambulance services needs to closely examined.

“What this funding boost does is give a qualified paramedic an assistant. Not an equally trained professional who can work alongside them in extremely pressured life and death situations,” said CTU Secretary Sam Huggard.

“Why should Kiwis who live rurally receive second rate ambulance services? When faced with an emergency, regardless of whether you are living rurally or in an urban centre, your need for equality of healthcare remains.”

“We need better health funding decisions than this. Cutting corners might save money but it can risk lives. The right thing to do is to fund our emergency services providers so that they can respond to life and death situations as best they are able. Having two fully trained qualified paramedics is the solution for all Kiwis – rural and urban,” Huggard said.

ENDS

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