$1.21 MILLION TO UPGRADE ACT AMBULANCE SERVICE EQUIPMENT

The ACT Ambulance Service is set to take delivery of new state-of-the-art monitor/defibrillators following a $1.02 million additional funding injection from the ACT Government.

“31 new monitor/ defibrillators will be purchased giving the Territory the latest worldwide best- standard equipment available to treat patients suffering life threatening emergencies, including cardiac arrest,” Minister for Police and Emergency Services John Hargreaves said today.

“These will replace old technology with the best available on the market today leading to an even higher standard of care being provided by our professional intensive care paramedics in the ACT.

“This has the potential to lead to even more positive outcomes for patients who present in a life threatening situation.”

The new monitor / defibrillators will provide the latest technology to monitor the heart and provide electrical shocks to revert otherwise fatal heart rhythms such as ventricular fibrillation.

“Because of the upgraded technology, these new devices will additionally perform a series of functions currently carried out using several different pieces of equipment,” Mr Hargreaves said.

“This will include monitoring of exhaled carbon dioxide (CO2) which is an important indicator of patient health.”

Mr Hargreaves also announced the allocation of an additional $190,000 to upgrade patient care stretchers in ACT ambulances.

“The new stretchers will improve manual handling of patients by the ACT Ambulance Service and enhance Occupational Health and Safety standards,” he said.

“Manual handling injuries are the most common workplace injury for ambulance officers.  A significant number of manual handling injuries are related to the operation of the patient care stretchers.

“It’s expected the new monitors/defibrillators and patient care stretchers will be in place by the end of this year.” 
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