NSW EMS (NGO or Private operator)

[sea breeze]

Well haven’t the NGO PR machine been in overdrive. Sandblaster you hit the nail on the head in you replies, the politicians are being pulled out of their pockets and the shock jocks on the radio and TV are reporting your predicted replies.

Does this mean that the NGO’s cannot match the tender?
I ask why is it the right of these NGO’s to have a monopoly on the EMS system
Does not CHC employ Australian workers?
What of Canberra and Wollongong service, is CHC not providing an outstanding service to those communities?
What of the Dr’s and Paramedics doesn’t the health department employ them?
Won’t CHC or any other successful tender winner employ the good NGO pilots?
What of ICAC, should the NGO’s not be reported for their political interference and manipulation of facts?

What of Fatrat’s post on CHC winning the last tender but because of political pressure NGO’s Lobbied the government and here we are 10 years on. Limited services limited control and siphoning of the very needed community charity dollar from the small communities that so much depend upon it.

LHS, as previously stated in prior posts, It is time that the state pays for this essential service, this is a STATE RESPONSIBILITY. Leave charity for those who really need it.

Last I herd Careflight was the preferred tenderer it raises the? is this a surf driven scam. Surf were kicked out of Wollongong by the people of Wollongong for ripping their funding back to the Sydney operation (As reported in the print media) Sounds like a brain fart idea that those cronies would do.

It will be amusing time ahead

[Yikes]

Amazing how a company can be sledged with such vitriolic ignorant comment from parts of the media and potential competitors with no consequences.
I didn't realise that CHC imported seal clubers from Canada to fly on their many contracts Australia wide, I was under the impression they employed Australian pilots who have Australian partners, children friends and families, silly me

[fatrat]

Yes, that Hadley interview/spray was directed right at CHC Helicopters (Australia), I wonder if those who were twisting the knife forgot that as well as CHC Helicopters (Australia), Jawrow and Australian Helicopters (Who have also tendered) also have offshore ownership or at least a good pecentage of foriegn ownership. Or did they attack CHC because they consider them a threat and not Aussie and Jayrow??

I am not surprised at the attack, just like 10 years ago. I can't help but think that maybe this sudden outrage at that Canadian company was directed by those who stand to lose their nest eggs. What the CEO's of both SLSA and CareFlight failed to say was that it was them (Personally ) that would lose their jobs.

I would be very surprised if many of the pilots, crew and engineers were not offered the opportunity to change uniforms if ANY of the commercial operators won the contract. (All three companies have advertised on numerous occassions in the recent months)

The medical personnel in the case of the SLSA helicopter service are employed by the NSW Health Dept,(They also serve on the CHC Operation in Wollongong) and those at CareFlight are employed by CareFlight. How the Health Dept would run the show remains to be seen, however they already provide some Docs to SLSA, and I would imagine they would ask the Dr's employed by CareFlight if they were interested in having their 1/8, 1/4, 1/2 salary paid by the Govt.

I hope that CHC respond in some way to this sledging, not by returning what they got, but respond in a dignified manner without sledging. They sat back 10 years ago and let Surf and CareFlight's public sledging and whining to the Govt have the contract overturned, and did not respond to any of the garbage.

Will a commercial operator get the contract? Not if the boys from the charities are going to continue with their present actions!

Shame really I am sure that the public in NSW would be very happy as long as they have a service, cost to the community with a commercial operator very close to what they pay now. They pay taxes, they also make donations, and they also pay through the sponsors, all the Westpac customers, and NRMA members (and those with insurance with NRMA insurances (IAG??)) also pay through bank charges and Insurance premiums. (even the QLD VIC SA WA and TAS policy holders pay for the service in NSW) At least with a commercial operator they would pay through their taxes only!!

They just don't get told this by the present operators do they??

Rant over,

Fatty

[McGowan]

The SMH news article mentions the AB or AW139, I was of the understanding this was a two pilot IFR helicopter and won't be certified SPIFR. I assume the tender calls for SPIFR aircraft. Wonder what the story is there?

[sand blaster]

Poachers in our town

This is on one of the NGO's web site

Fundraising alert (03 Nov 2006)

The Hunter Region Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service is warning residents that current telephone marketing for funds is not coming from the Service.

General Manager, Richard Jones, said today that the Service never uses telemarketing for fund raising.

“While those telephoning people in the Hunter at present may be legitimately working for other helicopter services that serve other regions in the State, they do not represent the Hunter’s own Rescue Service.” (http://www.rescuehelicopter.com.au/w...wsArticles.asp)

That invisible line in the sky is very difficult to see and even More transparent when it comes to fund raising. That other helicopter service would not have a bear in there or a child or two. How dare, someone try to tap into the mid north coast gold mine, Same Shame Shame.

[belly tank]

Westpac Rescue Email Petition

I GOT FORWARDED THIS EMAIL LINK HAVE ANY OF YOU SEEN IT?
http://www.petitiononline.com/rescueit/petition.html

[Gas Producer]

Hi Belly Tank,

Hadn't seen this until now. Signed it immediately.

These guys provide a truly terrific and highly professional service, and I know a few of the guys involved.

It would truly be a tragedy should either of the Sydney or Newcastle services wind up.

Go the Lifesavers and Angels . You have my support 100%.

GP

[sand blaster]

I GOT FORWARDED THIS EMAIL LINK HAVE ANY OF YOU SEEN IT?

http://www.petitiononline.com/rescueit/petition.html

I suggest that you read the current Pprune Threads involving Westpac helicopter
NSW EMS (NGO or Private operator)
Australia - NSW rescue helicopters services, uncertain of future!

Take the time to read the posts and make up your own mind. However in a nutshell WESTPAC appear to be running a political campaign against changes to the way EMS helicopters are going to be provided in the future. Obviously they feel that they did not provide a competitive tender application, so are now resorting to the only thing they know, government and media manipulation and lying to the public that have supported them in the past.

Fact
Tender calls for Helicopter provision in Sydney Wollongong and Orange.

Newcastle and Lismore are not under this tender process and no matter what happens in this tender decision Newcastle and Lismore will still provide services that they are currently providing. (Remember: Newcastle and Lismore are separate businesses)

This means that Westpac is deliberately lobbying the government by lying to the community.
Come clean surf lifesaving

This Helicopter is a bit like their sponsor (a BANK) never reveals the truth about their product and above all they look after the profits and those that receive them. (Don’t forget that admin structure $1000000.00 pa)

What of the other NGO’s and private operators that have submitted for the tender process should they just pull out of this process. This is business and the future direction of SAR in Sydney region. Obviously Westpac are unable to look after their customer as they have already lost the Wollongong contract and appears Sydney may be next.

[Point-of-view]

The NSW Health Departments Review Supported the NGO's

The ORH Review of Rotary Wing Services had this to say about the current system and NGO's starting at paragraph 3.4.17:

"The cost effective development of Rotary Wing services needs to take into account the following key strengths:

a) the history of medical involvement in helicopter work;
b) the significant levels of community support channelled through the NGO's:
c) The expertise built up within the NGO's (technical and medical);
d) The central role of the MRU and AOC.

It needs to overcome a range of weaknesses:

a) Low utilisation of some helicopters;
b) mobilisation delays caused by non-dedicated crew arrangements;
c) restrictions in secondary retrieval role due to doctor availability for some retrieval hospitals;
d) variation in tasking protocols;
e) concerns over the level and currency of staff training, particularly with regard to non-dedicated doctors/paramedics;
f) the potential for delays in primary mission tasking/requesting;
g) the variation in operating regimes."

Three out of the four key strengths identified in this report are directly attributable to the work and inovation of the NGO's and all of the seven weaknesses are aspects which are under the management control or funding control of NSW Health and the Ambulance Service of NSW.

The report goes on to say at paragraph 3.4.23:

"Considerable expertise has been built up amongst the NGO's across the operational and medical aspects of service provision. Future development ideally should take advantage of this, building on these strengths through constructive liason and review, and minimising recognised weaknesses through good management and robust contracts"

The problem with the system is not with the NGO's, but with silent agenda of a couple of senior people in Health/Ambulance Service to get rid of the NGO's and because of this they will not engage with the NGO's in "constructive liason and review"

[SINAY]

Year of the Life Saver

Maybe 2007 really will be the year of the Lifesaver...But not in the manner one thinks....the future's uncertain and the end is always near.

[Point-of-view]

NGO's Responsible for the Strengths of the Current System

This thread has been bagging the NGO's but the Review that was commissioned by Health and Ambulance had a different view. The ORH Review of Rotary Wing Services had this to say about the current system and NGO's starting at paragraph 3.4.17:

"The cost effective development of Rotary Wing services needs to take into account the following key strengths:

a) the history of medical involvement in helicopter work;
b) the significant levels of community support channelled through the NGO's:
c) The expertise built up within the NGO's (technical and medical);
d) The central role of the MRU and AOC.

It needs to overcome a range of weaknesses:

a) Low utilisation of some helicopters;
b) mobilisation delays caused by non-dedicated crew arrangements;
c) restrictions in secondary retrieval role due to doctor availability for some retrieval hospitals;
d) variation in tasking protocols;
e) concerns over the level and currency of staff training, particularly with regard to non-dedicated doctors/paramedics;
f) the potential for delays in primary mission tasking/requesting;
g) the variation in operating regimes."

Three out of the four key strengths identified in this report are directly attributable to the work and inovation of the NGO's and all of the seven weaknesses are aspects which are under the management control or funding control of NSW Health and the Ambulance Service of NSW.

The report goes on to say at paragraph 3.4.23:

"Considerable expertise has been built up amongst the NGO's across the operational and medical aspects of service provision. Future development ideally should take advantage of this, building on these strengths through constructive liason and review, and minimising recognised weaknesses through good management and robust contracts"

The problem with the system is not with the NGO's, but with silent agenda of a couple of senior people in Health/Ambulance Service to get rid of the NGO's and because of this they will not engage with the NGO's in "constructive liason and review".

[SINAY]

Year of the Life Saver Part 2

Yes sure is the Year of the Lifesaver and the end was oh so near.
They now have 2 surplus helicopters as CHC is awarded the NSW Rotary Winged contract and not to mention Careflight who also have surplus helicopters.

[fatrat]

Congratulations to CHC Australia, and commiserations to Careflight and SLSA. I guess some will have jobs offered, but not all.

fatty

[Sundance76]

CHC AW139's for Austeralian EMS Contract

Congratulations to CHC for winning the NSW Government HEMS tender....
Found the following extracts from local Syndey radio station interesting..... appears Lifesaver and Careflight are digging in for a battle.....
Ding!...round 1 to CHC! Will have to wait to see if it's a knockout though!

2GB (Sydney), Ray Hadley Morning Show, 08/12/2006 10:43AM Compere: Ray Hadley

Hadley is joined by John Fraser(*), the deputy chairman of Westpac Lifesaver Helicopter Rescue Service. Fraser(*) says that he has not been made aware of the NSW Govt's decision to give the tender to a Canadian company other than hearing Hadley's interview with Ian Badham, the director of NRMA Careflight. Hadley says that it is cowardly of Morris Iemma's NSW Govt to make the announcement on the day that he and Alan Jones go on holiday. Fraser(*) says that the NSW Govt has been planning this move for a long time and that when he asks Greg Rocheford from the NSW Ambulance Service he told him that there was no plan for the future of the helicopter services. Hadley says that Fraser's(*) organisation will have lost the tender by midday and Fraser(*) says that the organisation will lose the pilots and that they will not be able to replace them. Fraser(*) says that the Govt knows that the issue will die down and Hadley says that he will make sure that it does not. Fraser(*) points out that their pilots will leave and that hey cannot afford to pay them the same. Hadley says that he cannot imagine why the NSW Govt is spending more money than they have to when they are financially 'crippled'. Fraser(*) says that the NSW Govt only provides one third of the funding. Hadley says that this decision makes him suspect the Health Department of 'bastardry'. Fraser(*) says that the Westpac Lifesaver service has been going fro 34 years and that they have great support. Hadley says that he could almost understand the decision if it made financial sense and Fraser(*) suggests that the decision was made to gain power.
Interviewee: John Fraser(*), deputy chairman, Westpac Lifesaver Helicopter Rescue Service
Duration: 4 mins 35 secs
SummaryID: S00024539313

2GB (Sydney), Ray Hadley Morning Show, 08/12/2006 10:37AM Compere: Ray Hadley

Caller David says that he is one of the original crew members of the Westpac's medical helicopter services. He says that the NSW Govt cannot even run a hospital, let alone run the helicopters as well. He says that if he gets a chance to talk to Ian Badham again he should tell him that he has a scrap book about the first fund raising. Hadley says that that would have been when Westpac was the Bank of NSW.
Duration: 1 mins 55 secs
SummaryID: S00024539256

2GB (Sydney), Ray Hadley Morning Show, 08/12/2006 10:28AM Compere: Ray Hadley

Hadley says that he was reluctant to speak to Dr Lewis Geller(*) about the issue of the future of the NRMA Careflight and Westpac Lifesaver helicopter services because he may have been putting him at risk. He says that Geller(*) sent him an email saying that the NSW Govt has designed the tender process for the helicopter service so that only a commercial operator could win. He says that Geller calls for the tender bids to be brought into the public domain. Hadley says that Geller is a senior member of the NSW Health Department but that he is joining the program anyway. He says that the middle management in the NSW Health System are trying to build empires. Hadley says that Geller claims that Careflight and Lifesaver could save the Govt $70m. Geller says that an independent study found that the best medical care would be provided by the current operators and their current medical teams. Geller says that the NSW Govt's decision will cost someone their life because Careflight provides the best service of its kind in the world. Hadley reads from Geller's email and says that the new service cannot provide the same kind of care and that the NSW Govt will not be able to build up such a good medical team again. Hadley says that NSW Health Minister John Hatzistergos must reverse his decision and that he should not think of punishing Geller for speaking publicly.
Interviewee: Dr Lewis Geller(*), senior medical officer, NSW Health
Duration: 6 mins 28 secs
SummaryID: S00024539080

2GB (Sydney), Ray Hadley Morning Show, 08/12/2006 10:21AM Compere: Ray Hadley

Hadley says that he received an email last night that NSW Health Minister John Hatzistergos will announce tonight that he is replacing the NRMA Careflight and Westpac Lifesaver services with a Canadian corporation. He says that NSW Govt sources have broken the Health Department's rule of silence to leak the information. He says that the time has been set so that both he and Alan Jones will be on holiday. He says that he is calling on NSW Premier Morris Iemma to stop this. He says that if Hatzistergos and John Della Bosca think that the public will support a commercial company from Canada 'they have another thing coming'. He introduces Ian Badham, the chairman of Careflight to discuss it. Badham says that he has received calls from Govt sources that indicate the same thing that Hadley's email s saying. He says that the stupidity of the situation is that while the discussions go on Careflight is actually assisting doctors treat a man who has fallen. Hadley says that the Govt only provides a third of the money to pay for these services and that the rest of the money comes from the public and the corporate sponsors. Badham says that the NSW Govt is turning their backs on the donors of this service. Hadley says that it will cost the NSW Govt more money to have the Canadian Helicopter Corporation run the services and asks why they would do it in this economic climate. Badham says that he will break the probity restriction placed on him and says that Careflight has placed deposits on five new helicopters and that they will definitely be coming to NSW. He says that Careflight will be willing to work with the NSW Govt to make sure that their pilots can continue to work with the new helicopters. He says that Hadley quoted the Daily Telegraph today and says that the NSW economy is in trouble. He says that they can bring $100m of donations to the table and that it is stupid to reject this. Hadley says that he has spoken to Greg Rochford from the NSW Ambulance Service and that he has defended the decision. Badham says that Rochford is an honourable man, but that there are other people in the ministry who are trying to take control of the service and stamp their name on it. Hadley says that they are wanting to 'bugger up' this health service as they have done to all the other health service. Badham says that the helicopter services can work with the NSW Govt and doe snot understand the decision. Hadley says that he will pick up the topic again next year.
Interviewee: Ian Badham, NRMA Careflight, chairman
Duration: 7 mins 01 secs
SummaryID: S00024538875

2GB (Sydney), Ray Hadley Morning Show, 08/12/2006 10:05AM Compere: Ray Hadley

Hadley summarises the news for the day. He says that he has received an email that tells him that the NSW Govt has decided to award the rescue helicopter contract to a Canadian helicopter corporation, which will take money away from the NRMA Careflight and the Westpac rescue Helicopter services. He says that he will talk to the services about how they feel about this. he says that the email says that the NSW Govt is waiting until he and Alan Jones are on holidays to announce the decision so that it will not be questioned.
Duration: 1 mins 05 secs

Let the games begin..............

[500]

Where is Austeralia !

[irh]

Sand Blaster, you obviously have issues with the NGO's especially Life Saver. I know from you previous posts that you have no idea what is REALY going on. I find it interesting that you are so happy to miss inform the public.

I wish you well in your career, it will catch up with you. Blatant lies just dont work!

[Gas Producer]

Sandblaster, you're a d&^#%$.

[spinwing]

mmmm....

Be interesting if all those pilots wanting to jump ship over to CHC were only offered work in Nigeria ..... where there is a real shortage (????).

[Nigel Osborn]

Lloyds/ Bond/ Helicopter Services/ CHC is just a change of ownership. The crews in Adelaide didn't suddenly become British/ Norwegan/ Canadian with the change. Adelaide & the other Australian bases aren't suddenly flooded with foreigners.
I've no doubt CHC will do a good job as per the contract. Looking back did the small players always do a good job? Sure they do now but life moves on. I wonder how many crews will be employed.
And no, I'm not looking for a position!

[dragonsfly]

These new positions will be offerred to the existing pilots working for CHC and not to new comers. This is how it always works and if they change this system, they will face a backlash from within their own ranks.
If the public of NSW choose to get behind Westpac and Careflight, they can continue to work and with the support of the health department, they will continue to be used in preference to CHC who will be sitting around waiting for a call.
This will be a lot fun!!!