NSW Ambo's want insurance rewound
NSW Paramedics are demanding better insurance payouts if they are injured or killed on the job.
A new death and disability scheme has been in place for two months, but paramedics want the previous scheme back.
They are sending letters and petitions, calling for meetings with Government MPs, rallying at electorate offices, and driving ambulances emblazoned with protest slogans.
It appears someone might be listening, as Premier Mike Baird and Health Minister Jillian Skinner have agreed to meet with paramedics and the Health Services Union (HSU) this week.
Paramedic and HSU member Allison Moffitt says paramedics want the same deal as police.
“One in five paramedics will be hurt every year at work,” Ms Moffitt said.
“We get injured at twice the rate of police and yet we have a quarter of the protections that the Government currently affords NSW police officers.”
NSW Health decreased disability entitlements after a near five-fold increase in insurance premiums last year.
Under the previous scheme, if a paramedic was injured to the point where they could no longer work as a paramedic, their payouts would range from $253,515 to $685,642 depending on their age.
If the injury was severe enough that they could no longer work in any profession, their payouts would be between $559,708 and $699,635.
But under the new scheme there is a flat payout of $123,487 no matter what the paramedics age or state of their injury.
NSW Ambulance says this is combined with “new income protection benefits while maintaining death benefits”.
“The new income protection scheme provides new benefits to sick and injured paramedics who received nothing under the old scheme because their illness or injuries did not result in permanent total or partial disability,” a statement from the ambulance service said.
“The previous lump sum benefits for disability have been replaced by a two-year income protection benefit to support staff during a period of recovery and rehabilitation before they return to work.
“Under the award, paramedics no longer have to pay towards the scheme as they were previously required to do and as is the case for other emergency services.
“Funding will continue for initiatives to improve the health and wellness of paramedics.”
HSU spokesperson Gerard Hayes said the government is running contradictory lines.
“We've got a state government who promotes the fact that they have a surplus and it's coming at the expense of paramedics,” he said.
“The Government said they couldn't afford [the previous death and disability insurance scheme], now you can't say; ‘I can't afford to protect the paramedics who protect the community’ at the same time as saying; ‘We have a surplus’.”