Issue No 87, June 2013
Inside...
First Markets a Raging Success Page 3 Keeping Blue Care on the Road Page 7
School Happenings Pages 20-21
Eat Local Week Pages 24-25 Sport Pages 32-34
Phone: 07 5543 5532
Patients Putting Their Lives at Risk
Local doctors and ambulance officers say patients are risking their lives by not using the ‘000’ service in life-threatening situations. Dr David Christensen, of Canungra Valley Medical, said the general practice does not have the equipment or resources to administer emergency care for patients who should call an ambulance. “We have had several patients recently who had life threatening conditions and waited for up to four days, before making an appointment to see a doctor at our practice. In some cases they mentioned their chest pain as an afterthought at the end of the appointment,” he said. “They have caused unnecessary delays in treatment and damage to affected organs, that is, heart and brain, a lot of which is irreversible.” “While we provide emergency care for these patients, others with appointments are waiting and we are unable to treat them. We are just not set up to care for emergency cases.” David said anyone with sudden onset of chest pain, severe abdominal pain, severe headache, or loss of vision should call ‘000’ immediately. Acting Officer in Charge at Canungra Ambulance Station, Sean Hayes, said the ambulance service is
Dr David Christensen and Acting Officer in Charge at Canungra Ambulance Station, Sean Hayes, are concerned that patients are risking their health by not calling ‘000’
for any life threatening condition. “Members of the public should not hesitate to call ‘000’. If they are in doubt as to the severity of their condition they don’t need to worry as the telephone operator will assess them before dispatching an ambulance,” said Sean. Practice Manager, Bronwyne Brown, said patients need to be proactive. “This is not a critical care unit,” she
Your lifestyle counts!
said, “We just don’t have the resources to cope with these emergencies and patients are putting their lives at risk by presenting to a General Practitioner instead of getting emergency care from the Ambulance Service.” “We know it is a case of educating people but they need to understand that these sorts of symptoms are just too serious not to call an ambulance. They are risking their lives.” ‘When to Call 000’, page 15
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A Story to Tell - Biddaddaba - $399,000
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