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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Elias Visontay, Laura Murphy-Oates and Jane Lee

Overworked Sydney paramedics take ambulances home to be ‘on call’ during Omicron surge

Ambulances arrive at St Vincent's hospital in Sydney
NSW Ambulance has taken the unusual step of asking Sydney paramedics to be on call after their shifts as demand soars during the Covid outbreak. Photograph: Jenny Evans/Getty Images

Overworked paramedics across Sydney are being asked to drive ambulance vehicles home after their shifts so they can respond to emergency calls when they are clocked off as part of a crisis strategy during the Omicron outbreak.

Paramedics in the city are already “drunk on fatigue”, said Chris Kastelan, New South Wales president of the Australian Paramedics Association, with many working 13-hour shifts in recent weeks.

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