Emergency workload rising for rural GPs as fatigue rules keep ambo crews away

Key points

• St John Ambulance Service has introduced a new fatigue policy, restricting the number of hours in addition to their day jobs that volunteer crew can work.
• Less crew availability leaves primary care emergency workers having to turn out to non-life-threatening callouts.
• GPs say rural communities are at risk, and want St John personnel to do their own fatigue assessments.