Ambulance welcomes new Mega Lift Ambulance amid increasing rates of obesity
The Ambulance Service of NSW (Ambulance) unveiled their new ambulances specially
designed to transport severely obese patients ahead of the delivery
of three more purpose-built vehicles in coming months.Ambulance
currently has three Mega lift ambulances - based at Macquarie Fields,
Caringbah and Blacktown. They have been operational since 2002. They are mostly
used for bariatric patients who: >
weigh greater than 180kgs; or > those who have too large a girth for the normal ambulance stretcher
NSW Minister for Health, Reba Meagher inspected the new vehicles recently at the Sydney Ambulance Centre. Ms Meagher said there are currently three Mega lift ambulances, with three more to be delivered in coming months. These new trucks will be of superior design.
“Obesity stands alongside our ageing population as the most significant challenge facing our health system at this point in time. Severe obesity can prevent people from taking all of the opportunities life has to offer.
“There is a high cost when it comes to cases of severe obesity – not only with respect to people’s quality of life but to the community as a whole. Mega lift Ambulances are just one example, as is the amount of time required to transport severely obese patients.
The Mega lift ambulance requires two specially trained paramedics and contains a large weight carrying stretcher, a large wheelchair and specialist carry sheet, a hover mat which carries up to one ton as well as standard medical equipment.
Each vehicle costs about $150,000 to fit out - approximately three times the cost of a normal ambulance. Since they were introduced, the Mega lift ambulances have transported more than 1,552 patients.
Transporting a bariatric patient to hospital usually takes about five hours and can involve multiple paramedic crews.
“The prevalence of overweight and obesity within our community is at an all-time high and as a result we are seeing increasing numbers of people with chronic illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease,” Ms Meagher said.
“It is important that we find better ways for our health system to manage overweight and obese patients, and these new ambulances are one example of that.
“What is more important, is that we all work to find ways of reducing the prevalence of overweight and obesity – so that people are living healthier lives and we can better manage the financial burden on our health system.”
The total cost of obesity related health problems in 2005 was $21 billion. On a population basis, the cost to NSW can be estimated to be $7 billion. Although primarily used for bariatric patients, the Mega lift vehicles are designed to be used for multiple purposes including:
- Intensive Care medical retrievals where patients must be accompanied by additional clinical staff and to specialised medical equipment;
- Patients who are on cardio-pulmonary bypass;
- Pelvic Girdle patients;
- Patients who are difficult to move; for example where it may be difficult or unsafe for a patient to be taken out of a wheelchair;
- Patients contaminated by Chemical, Biological or Radiological agents;
- Mass Casualty Incidents; or
- Special operational deployments such as the dignitary protection motorcades used during APEC.
Penelope Little
Media Officer/Writer
Ambulance is committed to assisting the community create safer and healthier environments and outcomes by making prevention everyone’s businesses. A number of innovative community education programs have been implemented to assist identify life threatening conditions, understand what to do in an emergency and the importance of adopting illness prevention strategies.