The crucial St John Ambulance service was operating at zero standby capacity with paramedics offered triple time shifts to cope with demand. Ambulance crews were waiting up to five hours at the emergency department.

Dr Michael Page, President of the Australian Medical Association, spoke to 6PR Mornings host Gary Adshead on the dangerous situation.

“This is not a problem with St John Ambulance, it’s a problem with to the capacity of hospitals to take patients from the ambulances,” he said.

Click PLAY to hear the full conversation.