A big problem

This might be a bit of a touchy subject for some, so I'll start it off by saying that I don't mean for any of this post to be offensive - I'm simply stating the problem as it is and the ramifications of this.

Today's society is fast paced, with less and less time available for the little things in life. Unfortunately, good nutrition as part of a balanced diet with exercise is often left out of the our lives - coupled with an increase in access to quick, cheap fast food, it's not surprising to see that over 50% of Australians are overweight. The reasons for obesity are vast and varied, and it's not a topic I want to go anywhere near right now.

Obesity places many drains on the health care system, with rates of heart disease, non alcoholic fatty liver disease, diabetes and other obesity related illnesses rapidly increasing and showing no signs of slowing down. But even before these long term, usually late stage effects, the drain is felt on th health care system.

Paramedics are often left with no way to safely treat or move obese patients. On top of the physical exertion required and the dangers of a morbidly obese patient injuring you or being injured themselves during transport, the equipment designed for us simply won't hold such excessive loads. In response to this demand for stronger, sturdier and more durable equipment, new designs for high capacity equipment is required - some universities have even been asked to design specialised equipment as fourth year engineering assignments!

Beyond that, it's costing ambulance services millions of dollars for specialised 'heavy duty' ambulances - last year the ASNSW alone spent $600,000 on three trucks to carry patients over 160kg (the weight restriction on the standard ambulance), with another two trucks on order. Specialised beds for the obese cost $30,000 each for hospitals.

In Victoria, MAS has even gone so far as to request the privatisation of ambulances for the obese (in Australia almost all ambulance services are non-privatised), a move unions are currently trying to block. But is it such a bad idea? Often medical transport is all that is needed, with paramedics being called in due to the excessive weights being loaded. The patient is made very uncomfortable during lifting, with stretchers often too small or not designed for that capacity, the patient also receiving a massive blow to their dignity and efficacy as they are often sighted by curious crowds in such a state, having a massive impact on their treatment outcome. Such vehicles and equipment will be in high demand over the coming decade.

But as it is, the ambulance service cannot afford to purchase more.

Privatising this service would allow paramedics to be freed up for emergency medicine (something they're known to take part in from time to time between drunks and headaches),
allowing the trained patient transport officers - with their specially designed equipment - to give the patient the transport they require. Naturally the ambulance services will also require some vehicles and equipment of their own for emergency cases involving morbidly obese patients, but the drain on the public health care system will be decreased with no impact on patient care.

I'm particularly keen to hear what you all think of this, so please drop a comment.