Health Services Union report details Riverina patient's account of travelling to Wagga to receive emergency treatment

Released yesterday, the Health Services Union's (HSU) Reform Critical - A Fragmented Health System at Breaking Point paints a dire picture of the NSW Health System spending allocations.

Included in the 83-page document is the story of one Riverina patient who, when they presented to the local hospital late one night, they found no doctor on call.

"I was told I would have to go to Wagga, but there were no ambulances available either (the ambulance drivers had been on duty for 14 hours already)," the patient wrote.

"So, in considerable pain, my husband drove me the 100 kilometres to Wagga Hopsital."

On arrival, the patient said they then waited more than two hours in the emergency department, before they were shifted to another triage room, where they waited another 10 hours.

"I find this unacceptable in this day and age," the patient wrote.

"Just because we are not in the city doesn't mean we should be treated like we live in a third world country."

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Gundagai paramedic and Australian Paramedics Association delegate Gary Wilson said this situation was not uncommon for those in need of medical care in the Riverina.

"Sadly, it's not surprising, unique, or uncommon. Too often we've heard similar stories," he said.

"It's indicative of a system that's been struggling for the 20 years that I've been a paramedic."

The report identified gaps in funding between federal and state priorities, a lack of focus on health prevention measures to keep people from needing ambulance and emergency medicine services and billions in wasted funding as a result of over-servicing and fraud.

The HSU is now calling for a Royal Commission into health funding in NSW, but Nurses and Midwives Association Wagga delegate Nat Ellis said there was already enough evidence to reform the system.

"We've had 20 reviews and inquiries into the healthcare system over the last 40 years, and they're calling for another inquiry," she said.

"All of this is taking time, when there's a system on the point of breaking. Do we need an inquiry or do we need to actually come up with solutions?"

HSU NSW secretary Gerard Hayes said the lack of substantial action in the last four decades meant the need for a royal commission was necessary before trying to fix the issues.

"We can identify billions of dollars worth of spending that needs to be properly scrutinised and probably redirected to have more impact," he said.

"Our health system needs to be fixed. But before we apply treatment we need to properly diagnose the illness and this report lays the groundwork for a Royal Commission."

The report also recommended a national review of pay and conditions for health workers, and a shift away from fee-for-service funding to outcomes based payments.

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