Ambulance defends process

The family of a 91-year-old Drouin woman suffering a broken pelvis and bleeding on the brain have criticised Victoria's health system after she was not transported by ambulance to West Gippsland Hospital.
However, Ambulance Victoria and the Victorian Ambulance Union defended the paramedics involved, saying they did everything that was required of them.
Lois Casboult suffered a fall at her home last Sunday night and was attended to by ambulance services for more than an hour, which also included an online consultation with a Victorian Virtual Emergency Department (VVED) doctor.
After being told she would require scans at the nearby hospital and following discussions with her family, Ms Casboult was privately transported by her daughter Janne McFadyen.
Ms McFadyen criticised the process, given her mother's age and previous health issues, and told Melbourne media that she should have been provided an ambulance.
Ambulance Victoria has since announced an investigation into the case, while defending the actions of paramedics who attended Ms Casboult.
"Our highly skilled paramedics attended quickly and sought the assistance of the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department (VVED) and liaised with the treating doctor on a care plan," an Ambulance Victoria spokesperson said.
"Our thoughts are with Lois and wish her a swift recovery."
Victorian Ambulance Union secretary Danny Hill further defended the process that led to Ms Casboult being transported privately,
"There's no clinical question marks about the treatment provided by our paramedics. They did exactly what they were trained to do and what they were required to do," he said.
Mr Hill said the consultation of a VVED was usually part of a "safety netting" process, typically when there is a level of reluctance to go to hospital.
"Paramedics always transport if in doubt. They would never put the patient or their own careers at risk by them refusing to transport a patient to hospital. You just don't see that happen.
"AV are on the exact same page here that our crews did exactly what they were required to do so I'd just ask for a little bit of calm and to wait until the investigation has taken place."
The Gazette attempted to contact Ms Casboult's family.