Code orange declared in Melbourne’s hospital system ‘two or three times per week’

Victoria’s health system was again stretched last night, with a ‘code orange’ again declared in Melbourne.

Ambulance Union secretary Danny Hill says it happens “maybe two or three times per week” at the moment.

“For our crew it’s almost become business as usual,” he told Neil Mitchell.

Mr Hill blamed a failure of government at all levels for the current strained health system.

“State or federal governments, anyone who’s been in government for the past 20 years, has never put in place a system that’s able to deal with the situation we have now,” he said.

“This is mental health, this is aged care, this is all the other parts of the health system that when they are overwhelmed we start to see problems in ambulance.

“Ambulance is like the leaf of the tree … if the soil is not right then the flow on effect is leavers don’t grow on the tree.

“Ambulance and emergency departments become, I suppose, the answer to all other problems.”

Press PLAY below to hear what the Ambulance Union boss thinks is to blame for Victoria’s hospital crisis