The country’s peak body for emergency medicine is calling for an immediate expansion of WA’s hospital system to combat ambulance ramping.

The Australasian College of Emergency Medicine sent a scathing letter to Health Minister Roger Cook rejecting reasons the State Government has provided to explain the ramping crisis.

6PR’s Gareth Parker obtained a copy of the letter which claims current plans for expansion are “nowhere near ambitious enough to make an impact” on the ramping crisis.

The letter describes the current situation as “unsafe” and “hurting the health of West Australians”.

ACEM President Dr John Bonning told 6PR Breakfast something needs to change.

“The situation is becoming untenable,” he said.

“Our people in emergency department’s are suffering … we need some action.”

Last month patients were left waiting in ambulance bays for 4111 hours, the highest figures on record for a fifth consecutive month.

The letter says “Without decisive large-scale action the situation will only continue to worsen in the coming years and months and patients will suffer and even die as a result.”

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