Some NSW paramedics are taking industrial action in a bid to force meetings with the government to secure pay rises and more staff.
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Members of the Australia Paramedics Association are on Tuesday refusing to transfer stations from where they start their shift to fill roster gaps, as well rejecting non-urgent patient transfers.
Members in the north of NSW are excluded from the association action due to flooding.
Multiple unions represent paramedics and the Health Services Union, which claims to represent "the vast and overwhelming bulk of the state's ambulance workforce" says it has no industrial action planned.
NSW Labor's health spokesman Ryan Park said on Tuesday lives are at risk with fewer paramedics on the road as a result of the government "doing nothing to ease" ambulance response times.
Paramedics are under enormous pressure and the "health system has been under-resourced and completely overstretched," Mr Park said.
Labor MP Greg Warren said his Campbelltown electorate is without its usual intensive care paramedic.
The association's NSW assistant secretary Alan O'Riordan told AAP he expects very little will actually come out of Tuesday's industrial action and "we will just be ignored yet again".
Although "the government just keeps ignoring us," Mr O'Riordan said paramedics will still take action, seeking an extra 1500 paramedics and a meaningful pay increase in the three to five per cent range.
Extra paramedics would help replace those leaving the workforce, but more are needed to meet the state's requirements, he added.
There's also a need for more specialist paramedics in regional and rural areas, Mr O'Riordan said. He added that the government needs to acknowledge the problems in the paramedic workforce and begin meeting with the union to provide NSW with a well resourced, well staffed ambulance service.
The office of Health Minister Brad Hazzard has been contacted for comment.
On Monday night, the association shared photos of ambulances queuing outside the hospitals including Royal Prince Alfred, Wollongong, Wyong, John Hunter, Concord and others, waiting to offload patients at emergency departments.
"Paramedics are getting smashed tonight," the union wrote, adding members had said it was "one of the worst in memory".
The NSW Nurses and Midwives Association is planning industrial action for Thursday, despite an order from the Industrial Relations Commission not to proceed.
Members will go on strike and rally across the state in protest over what it calls inaction on nurse-patient ratios by the government.
Australian Associated Press
