Deceased
Veronica Campbell
Demographics
23y, female
Coroner
Coroner Stella Stuthridge
Date of death
2008-12-31
Finding date
2010-04-12
Cause of death
complications of ruptured ectopic pregnancy with massive intra-abdominal haemorrhage
AI-generated summary
A 23-year-old woman with a ruptured ectopic pregnancy at a rural hospital required urgent transfer to a tertiary centre. The initial response was classified as routine, and the first ambulance crew arrived late without a MICA-trained paramedic. When deterioration occurred, a helicopter was appropriately activated, but significant delays resulted from communication confusion about landing sites, destination hospital uncertainty, and difficulties arranging ground crew at the destination. The patient was intubated during transport and became critically unwell with severe intra-abdominal haemorrhage. Key lessons include: classification of ectopic pregnancy cases should reflect criticality from the outset; initial triage and communication with receiving hospitals must be clear and timely; rural facilities need pre-agreed protocols for helicopter landings; dispatcher-clinical liaison must ensure destination clarity before patient transport; and adequate staffing levels are essential for emergency response.
AI-generated summary — refer to original finding for legal purposes. Report an inaccuracy.
Specialties
Error types
Drugs involved
SALL ‘31/12/08 - 00.24.07 - COMMENCES ASSISTANT DISPATCHER ~ PAT: Sorry mate.
(UNIDENTIFIED MALE IN BACKGROUND) : This could go to shit this job.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - PAT: Yeah.
AIR AMBULANCE - PETER: Air Ambulance, Peter.
SSISTANT DISPATCHER ~- PAT: Peter, it’s Pat, how are you mate?
AIR AMBULANCE - PETER: Not bad.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - PAT: Pete, we need a machine - a ro-, a rotary to - to get to Cobram as - ASAP. We’ve got a pretty flat 23 year old ectopic pregnancy up there. Any chance of HEMS 3 er something popping across to Cob?
AIR AMBULANCE - PETER: I7ll just - yeah. Hospital?
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - PAT: Yeah, the hospital. There's a school across the road.
AIR AMBULANCE - PETER: Yep.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - PAT: She’s as flat as a shit carter’s hat apparently.
Hypotensive, tachy, severe pain, she’s probably
80074 ruptured out now. We had a car go up there and they’ve assessed it at - Genevieve from the air wing
Alright mate, leave it with me.
}
Yep. -Right, so - yeah So ~ - -
HEMS 3 to Cobram.
Yep.
Okay. Any - you don’t need anything?
What have we got half past, up there about 10 past
midnight.
What’s the time, it’s half past - - -
Half past - you know what I mean - — -
Yeah. About 30 minutes?
Half past, 1.00, yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah, quarter past 1.00.
Yeah. As soon as they can that would be great.
AIR AMBULANCE - PETER: Alright mate.
\SSISTANT DISPATCHER — PAT: Thanks mate.
See ya, bye.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER ~- PAT: Bye.
SALL 31/12/08 — 00.27.31 COMMENCES BOOKING 1 - AMBULANCE - PAT KELLY: Ambulance.
COBRAM DISTRICT HOSPITAL - GENEVIEVE: Hi, it’s Katherine from Cobram Hospital.
Hi, how’s it going there, Katherine? Not good?
COBRAM DISTRICT HOSPITAL — KATHERINE: Not really.
o, I know. I’m sorry about all this. This has been
awful.
COBRAM DISTRICT HOSPITAL - KATHERINE: No, that’s fine. We've got another problem. The ambo-, with the chopper coming up - - 7—
BOOKING 1 - AMBULANCE - PAT KELLY: Yeah.
COBRAM DISTRICT HOSPITAL - KATHERINE: We actually probably need our local crew out 50 they
BOOKING 1 - AMBULANCE - PAT KELLY: Okay. Yep. No, I’ve rung Air.
COBRAM DISTRICT HOSPITAL - KATHERINE: Yeah.
When I was speaking to Genevieve before, even when the other car ~ we didn’t have a MICA guy at all, you
know.
UO0147 JOBRAM DISTRICT HOSPITAL - KATHERINE: Yeah.
BOOKING 1 - AMBULANCE - PAT KELLY: And we - we honestly didn’t - we only got the one
call at 11 o’clock. We didn’t realise the degree of you know, urgency.
Yeah.
And that’s where -— and I know Genevieve’s not happy,
but at the end of the day, we only got the one call,
but I have dispatched the chopper because when 1 spoke to her last time, I said - I said to her, “It sounds like you need the helicopter up there,” and she said, “Just get her out of here,” you know.
Mn’m.
So look, what I’11 do, I’11 - well organise to get he lights put on.
Okay.
And they’re going to land at - it’ll be the HEMS 3 coming across from Bendigo.
Right.
And I’1l - and - - ~
COBRAM DISTRICT HOSPITAL - KATHERINE: Have to land at the Showgrounds - - -
BOOKING 1 - AMBULANCE - PAT KELLY: Yeah.
COBRAM DISTRICT HOSPITAL - KATHERINE: Because that’s the only place with a light.
BOOKING 1 - AMBULANCE - PAT KELLY: At the Showgrounds, is it?
‘OBRAM DISTRICT HOSPITAL - KATHERINE: That’s it.
Will the police turn those on or do - - —
o. I've actually just tried to contact the police.
Right.
There’s no police.
BOOKING 1 -. AMBULANCE ~ PAT KELLY: So I’1ll ring Cobram and get them to turn the lights on?
COBRAM DISTRICT HOSPITAL - KATHERINE: Yeah.
BOOKING 1 - AMBULANCE - PAT KELLY: Yep.
Yeah, Showgrounds.
= oy ns ion)
At the Showgrounds?
Yep, no worries.
Right.
Will do that. And I think we’ll be obviously going
down to the Royal Women’s or something now?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
That’d be great.
Good on you.
Okay.
Sorry about all the confusion but - - -
No, that’s fine.
We were doing out best and - - -
Yeah.
It was just one of those things.
That’s fine.
Thanks very much.
Okay.
Bye bye.
Bye.
ane) “= pene poe lone
DISPATCHER 1 - MARTY: (TO PAT IN BACKGROUND) So he knows how to turn the lights on?
DISPATCHER 1 - MARTY: He knows how to-turn the lights on?
Yeah.
DISPATCHER 1 - MARTY: Yeah.
BERT - COBRAM: Hello.
DISPATCHER 1 - MARTY: Yeah, gidday, Bert, Marty in the Control Room.
There's no police officer within bull’s roar of this job unfortunately, so are you able to go out and get those lights on for us?
3ERT - COBRAM: T’ll try. I don’t know how they go on.
DISPATCHER 1 - MARTY: That'd be great.
BERT ~ COBRAM: We’ve never had anything to do with it.
Okay. Yeah.
What’s the story? What’s goin’ on?
There’s a - a girl at the - the hospital - where are
we. Basically she - just a normal routine transfer, little bit of morph. She’s pain free, comfortable
and then a little while later we new expected Shepp to be there,. she - blood pressure dropped a little bit and everyone’s startin’ to get in a bit of a
\ : flap, so - - -
BERT —- COBRAM: They do so up there.
DISPATCHER 1 - MARTY: Yeah, that’s it. So, anyway we were tryin’ to get the - the machine up there, the chopper and to get her down to the Royal Women’s.
BERT — COBRAM: The other option is to land at the oval across from lights on.
DISPATCHER 1 - MARTY: Yeah.
BERT — COBRAM: I'll go up and have a look for you.
DISPATCHER 1 - MARTY: Alright. That’d be great. Thanks for that.
Don’t wake my offsider up, I’1ll just go out myself
000133
and have a bit of a gander.
DISPATCHER 1 ~ MARTY: We already have. We actually called him by error but that’s alright. He’s still in bed now. Alright.
Thanks, Bert.
BERT - COBRAM: Roger.
DISPATCHER 1 - MARTY: Bye.
SALL '31/12/08 ~ 00.45.40 - COMMENCES BOOKING 1 - AMBULANCE - MARTY: Ambulance, this is Marty.
COBRAM DISTRICT HOSPITAL ~ KATHERINE: Hi, Marty, Katherine from Cobram again, bother you.
BOOKING 1 - AMBULANCE - MARTY: That's alright, Katherine.
sorry to
Listen, I’m just wondering, is this chopper we’re
getting, is that able to go to Shepp?
We'll take her to the Royal Women’s. Tf - if the
chopper comes up, they’1l be takin’ her to Melbourne.
COBRAM DISTRICT HOSPITAL - KATHERINE: WiLL they? Because yeah, the Royal Women’s were
asking why she’s going to there, that was all, and
Okay. Well, I’ll have a further chat to t you know.
Yes, that'll be fine.
Alright.
Great. Thank you.
hem and let
UUULS8 Thank you. What was your name, Katherine?
COBRAM DISTRICT HOSPITAL - KATHERINE: Katherine, yep.
BOOKING 1 - AMBULANCE - MARTY: Thanks, Kath, how is she at the moment?
COBRAM DISTRICT HOSPITAL - KATHERINE: She’s just - the blood pressure we’ve got is now 90.
BOOKING 1 — AMBULANCE - MARTY: Alright.
;OBRAM DISTRICT HOSPITAL ~- KATHERINE: BOOKING 1 —- AMBULANCE ~ MARTY: What’s her GCS?
COBRAM DISTRICT HOSPITAL - KATHERINE: o, she’s actually alert and - - -
BOOKING 1 - AMBULANCE - MARTY: Right.
She is in a bit of pain.
sooxInG 1 ~ AMBULANCE - MARTY: So, fortunately the - the situation happened - came through as a routine transfer, even though of course there’s an ectopic, which is obviously a critical incident. But unfortunately it just came through as a routine transfer and then the other crew take a long time to get out there - - -
Yeah.
And she ~ in that
she deteriorated as well.
So, it’s been a bit of a funny one unfortunately but
It has been.
Alright.
Yeah. Thank you.
Okay.
Byé.
No worries.
T’1l call you back.
Okay.
Bye.
Bye.
We’re heading the right direction now though.
800163
SALL 31/12708.~-00.47.22 - WANGARATTA TO WANG DO - COMMENCES DISPATCHER 1 — MARTY: MATT: Hello.
DISPATCHER 1 -— MARTY: Matt, it’s Pat, how are you?
MATT: Good, mate.
ISPATCHER 1 - MARTY: Well, we’re not, mate. We - we —- Marty and I have just about had a gut full, mate, of this, Matt. We have not stopped all night and I ~ we’re both really just to the end of out tether, Matt, and I’m just goin’ to tell you that right here and now.
MATT: Alright.
DISPATCHER 1 - MARTY: And neither of us can even get out of this friggin’
room to even go to the toilet, you know.
Alright.
And the 000’s and everything, it’s just rubbish, Matt, and I want somethin’ done about ity you kriow:
Alright. I’11 be in in a minute.
Okay, mate.
MATT: Bye.
Bye.
Ambulance.
Hi, Katherine, how are you?
wee getting that chopper ...-- ..e+. seen e we eeee
Yeah. The chopper’s - just hold on a moment, I’11 find out exactly what’s happening now.
COBRAM DISTRICT HOSPITAL ~ KATHERINE: Sure.
BOOKING 1 - AMBULANCE: Are you there?
COBRAM DISTRICT HOSPITAL - KATHERINE: Yeah.
300KING 1 - AMBULANCE: Thé helicopter should be there in about 15 minutes.
lights on the - where they’re going to land and we’ve got obviously two Shepparton crews -— ~ —
COBRAM DISTRICT HOSPITAL - KATHERINE: Yep.
In the area that'll be able to bring that crew over
a > on jews oO
to the - the hospital and go from there.
No problem.
Alright. Is there any further change or - - -
There 1S 2.2.6 wee ee eee tee at the moment, so I
2300KING 1 — AMBULANCE: Alright. But are you - you’re wanting her to go to GV Base?
Well, I think that’s probably the best at the moment because it’s closest, she'll get ....- wees we eee
Yeah.
Yeah.
It sounds like we’ve got a team there ready to go, so
Yeah, yeah, théy have ss. v ee ee
Alright.
ao
But it just depends on what
the time now.
COBRAM DISTRICT BOOKING 1 - AMBUI COBRAM DISTRICT BOOKING i - AMBU
Yeah, that’s right.
Yeah.
Alright.
I’1i let you know.
Thanks, Katherine.
No problems.
Bye bye.
See you.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - MARTY: Ambulance?
ROB - COBRAM: Yeah. Rob here at Cobram again.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - MARTY: Who is it sorry?
ROB - COBRAM: Rob at Cobram.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - MARTY: Yeah. How you going with that patient, Rob?
ROB —- COBRAM: Good, yeah. Look Graham’s - Graham’s happy we — we will load and get over the road and meet the chopper as they land, so there’s less delay.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - MARTY: Yeah. Yeah.
ROB - COBRAM: If you want, I’1l pass on a set of obs.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - MARTY: Gr-, Graham’s unhappy is he, did you say, sorry?
ROB — COBRAM: Too much background noise there, what’s going on?
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - MARTY: Nothing’s going on mate, it’s just - there’s some few people come in the room that’s all.
ROB - COBRAM: Sorry?
bg
GUUL7TO There’s a few people that have come into Comms room.
ROB - COBRAM: Okay. Can you tell them to shut up because [ can’t hear you.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - MARTY: That’s alright.
Yeah. No. Graham is going to load with us and we
take the patient over the road to the hos-, to the -
Yeah, chopper.
Chopper, and - - -
Yap.
And - and load direct, okay.
Yep. Yep.
ROB - COBRAM: So - now, heart rate’s 115.
ASSTSTANT DISPATCHER - MARTY: Shit, yep.
ROB - COBRAM: BP's 88 on 54.
Yep.
aOB - COBRAM:
Wrist rate’s 24, and GCS is 14.
14, okay.
Okay.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - MARTY: How - how many units of blood - how many - has she blood at all?
2OB - COBRAM: No.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER ~ MARTY: Okay.
ROB - COBRAM: They don’t have any here.
Right.
ROB - COBRAM: She’s - she’s had three litres for Hartmans.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - MARTY: Yep.
ROB - COBRAM: Three litres of saline.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - MARTY: Yep.
And she’s on a fourth, half litre bag of gel fusion.
Yep. Yep. Okay, and what ~ what are her sats Like?
Satting at 100 on - on oxygen.
Mm’ m.
Yep.
Okay, no worries at all. And pain, an-, any pain?
Yeah, she’s in - in a fair bit of pain, and she’s had
She’s - I know she’s already had 10 of morph and some Max earlier in the evening.
ROB - COBRAM: Yeah.
ROB ~ COBRAM: I’m not quite sure, sorry, it’s all - - -
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - MARTY: Alright.
ROB -— COBRAM: A little bit - a little bit hectic.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - MARTY: Okay.
But she’s - she’s still quite uncomfortable.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - MARTY: Yeah.
ROB - COBRAM: So 7-7 7
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - MARTY: And do you - we - we're going to fly her down to Goulburn Valley and your heliport - so we’ll need a car down there to - - -
20B - COBRAM: Well, Graham - Graham’s going to suggest to the pilot that it could probably nearly still use a helipad, but tT mean I don’t know about that, it’s - - -
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER ~ MARTY: How sick is she Rob?
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER ~ MARTY: Really.
ROB - COBRAM: Yep.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - MARTY: Mm. Okay. Alright. Okay, well the chopper - — -
ROB - COBRAM: Would have potential to - - —
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - MARTY: Yeah, of course they have, yeah, yeah.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - MARTY: I mean she took a GCS is 14, isn’t she?
ROB - COBRAM: Yep.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - MARTY: Alright. Okay. And the surgical team are waiting at the - - -
ROB -— COBRAM: Yeah, apparently they - they are. The doctor’s spoken here and he would prefer her to go to the - the Base for - ~- -
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - MARTY: Yeah, because they’re all waiting for her.
ROB — COBRAM: Yeah.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - MARTY: Yep, not a problem.
And we're in the process ~- we're just about to
transfer her onto our stretcher.
Yeah. Yep.
And looking at = Graham said that the —
Yep.
Choppers going to be in at 1.20.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - MARTY: 1.15 I was told.
ROB ~- COBRAM: Okay, yeah.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - MARTY: Yeah.
ROB - COBRAM: He was told 1.20.
‘\SSISTANT DISPATCHER ~- MARTY: Alright, okay, 1.20.
ROB —- COBRAM: But yeah, any - any time within the next 5 or 10 minutes.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - MARTY: Did you get another line in?
ROB - COBRAM: Yeah, she’s got a 18 in her leg and she’s got two 20's.
aSSTSTANT DISPATCHER - MARTY: Did they put - did they an art line in her?
ROB - COBRAM: No. No. No. No go there.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER ~ MARTY: Alright, okay. Alright, “thanks very much, “Rob:
ROB - COBRAM: She’s got a ~ a catheter as well.
Very gocd.
And she’s not - not draining at all.
Yeah, I know, she’s had no urinary output at all.
ROB ~- COBRAM: Yep.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - MARTY: Alright.
.0B - COBRAM: Alright, so that’s where - where we’re at.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - MARTY: Okay. I appreciate that.
ROB - COBRAM: Okay.
‘ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - MARTY: [’il let - If11 let Murray know on the machine.
ROB ~ COBRAM: Yep, no worries.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - MARTY: Okay, bye bye.
ROB - COBRAM: Cheers. I’11 give you a yell shortly, when we .
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - MARTY: Yeah. Yeah.
ROB - COBRAM: Yep.
Okay bye.
ADIO TRANSMISSION - 31/12/08 - 1.19.47 —- HEMS 3 to WANGARATTA —
HEMS 3: HEMS 3 To Wangaratta Control.
WANGARATTA CONTROL ROOM - MARTY: Go ahead HEMS 3.
HEMS 3: HEMS 3. Can we have the car at Cobram to turn the
beacons on for us?
Roger that. I’11 give them a call.
RADTO TRANSMISSION ~ 31/12/08 - 1.19.47 - HEMS 3 to WANGARATTA —
QaDIO TRANSMISSION - 31/12/08 - 01/20/36 - HEMS 3 TO WANGARATTA -
COBRAM GROUND UNIT: HEMS 3, this is Cobram Ground Unit.
WANGARATTA CONTROL ROOM: Cobram, can you put your beacons on, please, for HEMS 3?
COBRAM GROUND UNIT: HEMS 3, Cobram Ground Unit. I have my beacons on for you. I’m just awaiting a key to open the gates and turn the lights on.
WANGARATTA CONTROL ROOM - MARTY: HEMS 3, did you copy that?
HEMS 3: We’re 1 minute out.
Yeah, roger. Cobram has his beacons on, still waiting to get the lights put on the oval.
Yeah, no worries. We’ve got his beacons sighted, thanks.
‘ADIO TRANSMISSION - $1/12/08°.=.-01.35.12 "- AAV TO WANGARATTA — COMMENCES CONTROL ROOM - GARETH: Control Room, Gareth.
AIR AMBULANCE - PETER: Yeah. It’s Peter at Air Ambulance, Melbourne.
CONTROL ROOM - GARETH: Gidday Peter.
AIR AMBULANCE - PETER: That sick one up at Cobram, they’re going through to Shepparton, mate.
CONTROL ROOM - GARETH: They’ re going to Shepp are they?
AIR AMBULANCE - PETER: So,. you'll have to arrange a car at the Shepparton Airport.
CONTROL ROOM ~- GARETH: At the airport, that’s right, because the airport there, the landing site at the hospital’s closed, isn’t it?
AIR AMBULANCE —- PETER: Yep.
CONTROL ROOM - GARETH: Okay.
AIR AMBULANCE — PRATER: Okay mate.
We’ll get that. organised. Any idea of a timeframe?
TR AMBULANCE - PETER: No. I’ll assume they’11 talk to you, mate
CONTROL ROOM - GARETH: Okay. So he’s still on the ground at the moment?
AIR AMBULANCE - PETER: Yeah.
CONTROL ROOM - GARETH: Okay.
AIR AMBULANCE - PETER: Thanks a lot.
CONTROL ROOM - GARETH: Yeah, now worries, thanks Peter.
AIR AMBULANCE - PETER: See ya. Bye.
Bye.
RADIO TRANSMISSION - 31/12/08 - 01.35.12 - AAV TO WANGARATTA — CONCLUDES AAPL\JEV 3CcR 0001/09
. Bi
SHEPPARTON 625: Cobram. Can you please confirm that the helipad is available at Shepparton and also confirm whether the other Shepp crew who are still in Shepp are available
to do the pick up if required.
JALL 31/12/08°- 02.02.08 —-AAV TO WANGARATTA ~ COMMENCES DISPATCHER 1 ~- MARTY: Ambulance.
Just keep me up to scratch. Peter at Air Ambulance, they’re intubating that girl up at Cobram.
DISPATCHER 1 - MARTY: They are, yep.
AIR AMBULANCE - PETER: And apparently they still want to go to Shepparton, so - 7 7
DISPATCHER 1 - MARTY: That’s phenomenal, mate. I can't understand it, but anyway.
They’re tryin’ to move her on and Goulburn Valley reckon the can handle it, so - - -
But while the chopper’s there, why not just take her down to Melbourne?
AIR AMBULANCE - PETER: Totally agree.
DISPATCHER 1 - MARTY: Anyway.
AIR AMBULANCE - PETER: Murray wants to go to Melbourne. Everybody wants to
go to Melbourne.
QOULS DISPATCHER 1 ~ MARTY: Who’s got the final say? The treating doctor?
AIR AMBULANCE - PETER: Yeah. Obviously the blokes in - - -
Cobram.
Anyway, if they want a fixed wing aircraft, which they will want at 5.00 am, they won’t be getting it till 8 o’clock.
DISPATCHER 1 - MARTY: That’s exactly right, yeah.
So - anyway, like I said, intubating the patient now, they’1l get airborne and they still need to be picked up from Shepp airport.
DISPATCHER 1 - MARTY: Yes, no problem.
AIR AMBULANCE - PETER: Thank you.
DISPATCHER 1 - MARTY: Thanks for that.
AIR AMBULANCE - PETER: See you. Bye.
DISPATCHER 1 - MARTY: See ya.
00130
(AMBULANCE VICTORIA -— RECORDED MESSAGE) ‘Welcome ta Ambulance Victoria, Service Desk. Please note, your call will be recorded for training and quality assurance. If you are callin from a 000 call centre, press 5. Otherwise, please hold and we will attend.’
SERVICE DESK - JASON: Service Desk, Jason speaking.
JISPATCHER 1 - MARTY: Yeah, gidday, Jason, it’s Marty from Wang office.
How are you? Good. We've lost all our Shepparton towers for some reason. It's - an alarm went off about five minutes ago and we’ve got all the Wangaratta towers still up there and we're still wae all them, but we’ve lost Shepparton. It’s just
SERVICE DESK - JASON: No, I'm only - - -
DISPATCHER 1 I just thought I’d log it with you and 1711 give Ivan Kerry a call as well.
Alright. So, I’1ll wait for him to call me then.
Yep, no problem.
Alright.
Can I grab your user name just before you go?
Yeo. Masha, M-a~s-h-a, 1.
No problem at all. I'll get on to that for you.
DISPATCHER 1 - MARTY: \ So, you’ll get him to contact us?
Yep.
Alright. Thanks for that.
No problem.
Bye bye.
SERVICE DESK - JASON: Ta.
CALL 34/12/08" -2.12:31 - COMMENCES ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - PAT: Ambulance.
ATR AMBULANCE - GRAHAM SMOUT: Gidday, it’s Smouty.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER ~- PAT: Yes, Smouty.
AIR AMBULANCE - GRAHAM SMOUT: The helicopter left 1 minute ago.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - PAT: Yep.
. You've got 15 minutes to have a car - of a stretcher base and an officer to push ‘em into the - into Cas at Shepp. They are going to land on the old helipad.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - PAT: Yep.
AIR AMBULANCE ~—- GRAHAM SMOUT: So if you don’t have a crew available, ring John Morris.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - PAT: We don’t. Yeah.
RIR AMBULANCE - GRAHAM SMOUT: Yeah. Ring John Morris, he’1l come in and do it.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - PAT: Yeah, alright.
Tell him he has to do it.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - PAT: Yeah.
AIR AMBULANCE ~ GRAHAM SMOUT: He’s got 15 minutes to do it.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - PAT: Settle down. Yeah, alright.
AIR AMBULANCE ~ GRAHAM SMOUT: And then when you’ve got two seconds left - - -
-SSISTANT DISPATCHER ~ PAT: Yeah.
AIR AMBULANCE - GRAHAM SMOUT: Ring Cas and tell ‘em they’re on the way. They’11 need a rapid infuser.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - PAT: Yeah, yeah.
AIR AMBULANCE - GRAHAM SMOUT: Grab that.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - PAT: Rightio. How’s she going?
AIR AMBULANCE - GRAHAM SMOUT: Shitful.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - PAT: Alright. Okay. Now — alright.
AIR AMBULANCE - GRAHAM SMOUT: They’re going to need a — we’re going to need a rapid infuser.
an
HO1S4 Yeah, yeah, yeah, I got that.
AIR AMBULANCE - GRAHAM: SMOUT: And shit loads of blood.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER ~ PAT: Alright. Okay.
AIR AMBULANCE - GRAHAM SMOUT: Alright. Because what’s coming out of her is pink.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - PAT: Yeah. She doesn’t sound too well at all.
jER AMBULANCE - GRAHAM SMOUT: Yeah. She went unconscious as ~- as we were loading her to go onto the helicopter.
' ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - PAT: Is she intubated now?
AIR AMBULANCE - GRAHAM SMOUT: She’s intubated.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - PAT: Why didn’t they friggin’ just take her to Melbourne, Smouty?
ATR AMBULANCE - GRAHAM SMOUT: Because she needs her gut opened up straight away.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - PAT: Alright.
AIR AMBULANCE - GRAHAM SMOUT: She’s as big as a nine month pregnancy.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - PAT: Alright. Okay. I’11 get on to it now.
O00 95 Thanks, matey.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER ~ PAT: Bye.
AIR AMBULANCE - GRAHAM SMOUT: ‘Ooroo,
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - PAT: Bye. (TO UNKNOWN FEMALE ON PHONE) You there, mate?
Yeah.
\SSISTANT DISPATCHER - PAT: I better go, it’s gettin’ a bit busy again. ell
(UNKNOWN FEMALE ON PHONE): Alright.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - PAT: Is that alright?
(UNKNOWN FEMALE ON PHONE): T’ll let you go. Yeah, that’s fine. T’1ll let you go, darl.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - PAT: Sorry.
(UNKNOWN FEMALE ON PHONE): And goodnight. No, you're alright, don’t be sorry.
Okay.
You have to work.
SO0LIE ; Okay. Thanks.
(UNKNOWN FEMALE ON PHONE): Okay. bye.
Bye.
(UNKNOWN FEMALE ON PHONE) : Bye.
GOU1I57 3ADIO TRANSMISSION - 31/22/08:=. 02713.00*- COMMENCES HEMS 3: HEMS 3 To Wangaratta Control,
WANGARATTA CONTROL ROOM - MARTY: Go ahead HEMS 3.
HEMS 3: We’ll be at Shepparton pad in 20 minutes, 20.
WANGARATTA CONTROL ROOM ~ MARTY: Roger. Thanks. We’ll have a car there to pick you up and are ~- so you're going to be at the — the GV helipad, are you?
HEMS 3: Yeah. Affirmative. We think we can get in there.
WANGARATTA CONTROL ROOM - MARTY: Roger.
EALL 3V/12/08-= 02.14.33 ~- WANGARATTA TO J. MORRIS - COMMENCES ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - PAT KELLY: (TO UNIDENTIFIED MALE IN BACKGROUND) Do you reckon there’s goin’ to be some lashback from this case?
(UNIDENTIFIED MALE IN BACKGROUND) : I think there’1l be a little bit.
JOHN MORRIS: Hello.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - PAT KELLY: Johnny?
JOHN MORRIS: Yeah.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - PAT KELLY: Patty.
JOHN MORRIS: How are you going, Pat?
Good, mate. We've got ~ need a bit of a hand. We've got the HEMS 3 just leaving Cobram Hospital now to go down to Goulburn Valley Base Hospital. They’ve got a 23 year old lady who’s really sick from an ectopic.
She’s intubated and flat as a shit carter’s hat. We haven’t got a crew in Shepp to meet them to wheel her into the hospital, right, because your helipad is down there or something.
JOHN MORRIS: Need to land at the airport.
ABPL\JEV 3CcR 0001/09
|
Yeah. Yeah. I don’t know where they’1l land. I’ve got no idea, John. Smouty said to ring - not ring - yeah, ring Johnny Morris and he’ll be there in 20 minutes and I - I’ve got - fuckin’ clue what to do next because we’ve got no crews at all in Shepparton.
We've had a night from hell. Just haven’t fuckin’ stopped. We haven’t stopped all night, John, you know. Hardly haven’t had a piss. I’ve got Matt down in here now. It’s just complete bullshit. It’s out
of control, you know.
Mm.
So, are you able to help us out with that or - - -
Yeah. I’m sure they’1l land at the airport.
Do they - do they land at the airport guys, or do they - okay. Do you — do you want to ring Smouty and
you know.
Where ~ where’s Smouty?
He’s up at Cobram.
Okay. No worries.
Have you got his number and all that?
iOHN MORRIS:
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - PAT KELLY: So - so where do they land?
JOHN MORRIS: The helipad’s been - - -
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER — PAT KELLY: Closed, yep. So, they’ve got to - so they - - ~
JOHN MORRIS: At the airport.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - PAT KELLY: At the airport?
JOHN MORRIS: Yeah.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - PAT KELLY: oh.
JOHN MORRIS: So - so we've got TO 2.2... eee ce ee wees
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER — PAT KELLY: ’ So, they - they couldn’t land in a park or somewhere near the hospital?
JOHN MORRIS: ASSISTANT DISPATCHER ~ PAT KELLY: Okay. Yep.
So we néed to take a patient from the airport?
From the airport into - yeah, and she’s very,
very
sick and they’ve got to ring the hospital or - oF
ring Cas. Smouty said to tell ‘em they need a rapid
infuser on arrival.
Okay. No worries. Well, we’ll finish,
and piss off out there.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - PAT KELLY: ' Yeah. Thanks, Johnny.
Right, mate.
Sorry about all that.
You're right. No worries.
Good on you, mate. Bye.
See ya.
grab the car
fALL 31/12/08 2.16.37 - COMMENCES
(UNKNOWN MALE IN BACKGROUND) : Melbourne now?
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER ~ PAT: Of course she’ll go to Melbourne, yeah.
(UNKNOWN MALE IN BACKGROUND) : To Melbourne?
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - PAT: I’m ringing Goulburn.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER — PAT: Gidday, its the ambulance in Wangaratta, how are you tonight?
GOULBURN VALLEY HOSPITAL ~ CHRIS: Yeah, good.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - PAT: Good. Your patient is heading down now from Cobram.
GOULBURN VALLEY HOSPITAL - CHRIS: . Yeah.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - PAT: In the helicopter.
GOULBURN VALLEY HOSPITAL ~- CHRIS: Yes.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER ~ PAT: And that'll be there in 15 to 20 minutes.
We thought that 15 minutes ago.
Well, I don’t know. I’m just giving the ETA they’ ve just told me there.
GOULBURN VALLEY HOSPITAL ~ CHRIS: Yep.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - PAT: And that she’s intubated and according to the Microers, you’1l need a rapid infuser or something.
GOULBURN VALLEY HOSPITAL - CHRIS: Got that.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - PAT: Got it. Yep. .No worries at all.
GOULBURN VALLEY HOSPITAL - CHRIS: Do you know hat her obs are at the moment?
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - PAT: They didn’t give me any obs whatsoever. JI can — can attempt to get those for you, if you like.
GOULBURN VALLEY HOSPITAL - CHRIS: ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - PAT: I'll try.
GOULBURN VALLEY HOSPITAL - CHRIS: Okay.
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER - PAT: T?l1 - If1ll try and I’1ll give you a ring back, if you like.
Thank you.
Lona) on
ASSISTANT DISPATCHER ~ PAT: One moment. I’ll ring you back shortly.
GOULBURN VALLEY HOSPITAL - CHRIS: Righto.
| 000205 ianL 31/12/08 =.02.20.08 - COMMENCES
DISPATCHER 1 - MARTY: Control Room, this is Marty.
FRANK: Marty, this is Frank.
DISPATCHER 1 - MARTY: Hey, Frank, how’s it going?
FRANK: Who's going to meet the helicopter if it’s coming
j here?
Are you guys free or you’re not?
Well, we are now.
Good,
want us to go to the airport or what?
\
OISPATCHER 1 ~ MARTY: Well, apparently they’re landing at the GV Helipad.
FRANK: I thought that was closed.
DISPATCHER 1 - MARTY: So did I, but apparently they’ve liaised with the — the hospital and they can land there. So, Pat’s given John Morris a call and he’ll probably go over
and just be there to meet the chopper and assist the
H002U6 } staff to push it back into the - the hospital.
FRANK: Well, it’s a long ~ lucky to push that.
Look, I don’t know. Is it - so obviously it is a
long way to push then?
FRANK: Normally - yeah. We normally go and meet ‘em.
DISPATCHER 1 - MARTY: Alright. Well, if you're free and you’re able to, that'd be great. That’d be better.
You can’t just push it into the - is it going to theatre or is it going into Cas?
DISPATCHER 1 — MARTY: I don’t know that information, mate, I’m sorry.
Smouty’s aware of all that. We haven’t had - been fed any of that.
FRANK: Alright. Well, we’1l go around and meet it then.
DISPATCHER 1 - MARTY: Alright. That’d be great. So where are you heading to?
FRANK: We'll go to the Shepp - to the heliport here at the hospital.
Alright. Brilliant, that'd be great.
\
Okay.
They’re about 15 minutes away.
Yeah. Well, I don’t know who’s goin’ to turn the lights on if they’re goin’ to - I’11] see if they can.
DISPATCHER I - MARTY: Alright. Thank you.
JRANK: No problem. See ya.
DISPATCHER 1 ~- MARTY: See ya.
FRANK: Bye.
00208
SHEPPARTON 625: Control, Shepp 625.
WANGARATTA CONTROL ROOM - MARTY: Shepp 625.
SHEPPARTON 625: Yes. Mobile to the airport, thanks.
WANGARATTA CONTROL ROOM — MARTY: Roger. Thanks. 2.27.
SHEPPARTON 625: Shepp 625.
WANGARATTA CONTROL ROOM - MARTY: Shepp 625.
SHEPPARTON 625: Shepp 625. You called?
WANGARATTA CONTROL ROOM - MARTY: Yeah. No. You called and you said you were mobile.
SHEPPARTON 625: Roger. We left Cobram about 10 minutes ago.
AJANGARATTA CONTROL ROOM - MARTY: Roger. Thanks for that.
Wang Control to Shepparton 840.
WANGARATTA CONTROL ROOM - MARTY: Yeah. We've had clarification from Peter at Air Ambulance, they are landing at the airport and they will be there in 4 minutes.
SHEPPARTON 840: So, the Shepp - we’ll load our thing and zip out there.
WANGARATTA CONTROL ROOM - MARTY: Roger. Thank you for that.
(UNIDENTIFIED UNIT): It’s alright Frank, T’ll get it.
AAPL\JEV 3cR 0001/09
Shepp 840. We're goin’ out on a 1, so we’re never goin’ to get there.
Yeah, thanks Frank. It’s going to be a Code 1
transfer from the airport to the hospital.
Yeah. Roger. Cas is ready.
Yeah. Thanks again.
It's a Code 2 ....-. seeee
Sorry, car calling?
Shepp 675. At the airport.
Roger. Thanks. At 2.31.
japto TRANSMISSION - 3
HEMS 3 to Wangaratta Control.
Go ahead HEMS 3.
We're landed at the pad. Have we got a car available?
We id have. I spoke to Peter, he said you were landing at the airport.
No. We're at the helipad at Goulburn Valley Base.
Roger. Wang Control to Shepp 675 and 840.
CORRYONG 747: Corryong 747. Just approaching Corryong. Thanks.
RADIO TRANSMISSION 12708°- "02.34.06 = COMMENCES WANGARATTA CONTROL ROOM - MARTY: Wangaratta Control to Shepparton 675 and 840.
SHEPPARTON 840: B40 received. Will be landing at the helipad. We/’1ll be there in about 4 minutes.
WANGARATTA CONTROL ROOM - MARTY: Roger. Thanks. And Wang Control to HEMS 3. We've
got a car, they’ll be there in about 4 minutes.
JALL"31/12/08. =: 02.35.15 - WANGARATTA TO AAV — COMMENCES AIR AMBULANCE - PETER: Air Ambulance, Peter.
Yeah. Peter, they were at ....- helipad. He’s got
AIR AMBULANCE - PETER: Yeah.
DISPATCHER 1 - MARTY: We'll have a car there in about three minutes at the helipad.
At the airport?
No, they - they’ve said the helipad they’ re landing.
I’ll leave it with you guys.
DISPATCHER 1 -— MARTY: Yep, no worries.
Y was told by the hospital it was closed.
DISPATCHER 1 - MARTY: Yeah, well, apparently it’s - they’ve ~ were able to open it somehow, but anyway.
AIR AMBULANCE -— PETER: Alright, mate..
Alright, thanks.
\IR AMBULANCE - PETER: See ya.
DISPATCHER 1 - MARTY: Bye.
AAPL\JEV 3cR 0001/09
SADIO TRANSMISSION - 8T712/08 —02735.25 - COMMENCES SHEPPARTON 675: Shepp 675. Clearing the airport. Thanks.
Control Room, this is Marty.
Marty, it’s Murray, how are you going?
Good, mate, how are you?
AIR AMBULANCE - MURRAY: \ Mate, how far off are those cars?
DISPATCHER 1 — MARTY: Murray, where are you, mate, sorry?
AIR AMBULANCE - MURRAY: I’m at the pad at Shepparton Hospital.
DISPATCHER 1 ~ MARTY: Sorry, mate. So you're at the pad, yeah. Well, they
They should be about 2 or 3 minutes away, mate.
AIR AMBULANCE - MURRAY: Okay. They’re on a Code i, 1 hope?
DISPATCHER 1 - MARTY: . That’s right, yep.
AIR AMBULANCE - MURRAY: Alright. Thanks, mate.
DISPATCHER I —"MARTY: Because I - I spoke to Peter, he said you were goin’
out the airport, that’s why they were originally
there.
fO8221
‘IR AMBULANCE - MURRAY: No, I - I told him that we could get into the pad.
And where are we actually going in the hospital, to Emergency Department?
DISPATCHER 1 - MARTY: Mate, I - your guess is as good as mine. I thought you guys were already aware of where you were going.
I’1ll give ‘em a call.
\ Well, yeah. I - I don’t know whether she’s goin’ straight into theatre or not but she’s - got to find
out quickly because she’s not goin’ to fuckin’ make -
ah, fuck. ; :
CALL DROPS OUT | RADIO TRANSMISSION — 31/12/08 - 02.36.05 - HEMS 3 TO WANGARATTA - CONCLUDES | in
Statement of regret made by Ambulance Victoria at the inquest of Veronica CAMPBELL on the 12" April, 2010
The management, executives and staff of Ambulance Victoria extend their sincerest sympathies to the family and friends of the late Mrs Veronica Campbell, not only for the anguish and pain that they felt at the time of her death in 2008, but also for their loss and sorrow since that time. We understand that revisiting the circumstances of Mrs Campbell’s death by way of a coronial Inquest is likely to create feelings of anguish and sadness for family members and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time.
Ambulance Victoria regrets the delay, which occurred during the transfer of Mrs Campbell from Cobram District Hospital to Goulburn Valley Hospital and has made substantial efforts and taken a number of significant measures to improve the delivery of its services.
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