NSW paramedics are taking industrial action to push for bigger pay rises and an additional 2000 staff that they say are needed to turn around deteriorating ambulance response times across the state.
The 24-hour industrial action on Monday means paramedics are refusing to leave their usual posts to fill gaps at other ambulance stations.
Health Services Union NSW Secretary Gerard Hayes says paramedics need a pay rise substantially higher than the 2.5 per cent on offer.
"It could well be higher than 10 per cent," he told reporters.
"Over the last 10-15 years paramedics have been getting 2.5 per cent - now that doesn't barely keep up with CPI."
The union also says an additional 2000 paramedics are needed to address declining ambulance response times.
Mr Hayes said more than 84 intensive care paramedics should be rostered on in Sydney every 24-hour period, but NSW Ambulance no longer replaces sick and injured specialised staff leading to gaps in the health system.
According to the union, Western Sydney hospitals were without specialist paramedic coverage on at least 23 occasions between 24 January and 24 February.
"There is no escaping the fact that NSW needs more paramedics and they need proper professional recognition," Mr Hayes said.
In February, paramedics took similar 24-hour action amid claims of worsening working conditions including staff doing 16-hour shifts without breaks.
NSW Ambulance will meet with the union at the Industrial Relations Commission on Monday in a bid to resolve the dispute.
It comes after thousands of nurses rallied outside NSW parliament in February, as well as 25 locations around the state and nurses begin voting on further industrial action at the end of the month..
A new Bureau of Health Information report released last week found a record number of people needing emergency care turned up at NSW public hospitals in the last quarter of 2021, while ambulance call outs also increased, amid the COVID-19 Delta and Omicron waves.
