Tasmanian Student's Medical Emergency: Taxi Sent Instead of Ambulance
A young Tasmanian woman experienced a terrifying medical crisis when a Triple Zero dispatcher sent a taxi instead of an ambulance to assist her during a severe seizure. Mia Goody, a 20-year-old university student in Hobart, suffered her first-ever seizure late last Tuesday in her dorm room, prompting her partner to immediately call emergency services.
"She was slumped over, mouth open, shaking quite violently. She wasn't responding. The fact that she had blood just pouring out of her mouth... it was very terrifying," said Joshua Tombs, Goody's partner. Tombs made the initial call at 11.58pm, but it was only after several hours and multiple follow-ups that they learned an ambulance would not be dispatched.
Delayed Response and Taxi Offer
Tombs recounted the agonizing wait, stating, "It was only on the third call at around 2am that they went: 'We can't spare an ambulance, we will get you a taxi'." He described the situation as "quite agonising," emphasizing the distress of seeing his partner in such a critical state without proper medical transport.
When questioned by 7NEWS about whether sending a taxi is acceptable in a medical emergency, Health Minister Bridget Archer declined to comment on individual cases, noting that patients are triaged based on their circumstances. "I don't think it's a yes or no answer," Archer said, sparking criticism from opposition figures.
Political and Systemic Backlash
Shadow Health spokesperson Sarah Lovell strongly condemned the minister's response, asserting, "It is completely unacceptable, and for her to have any question in her mind over that is mind-blowing." The Department of Health issued a statement explaining that Ambulance Tasmania was facing significant community demand and that Goody was not classified as a Priority One patient.
However, the department did not address inquiries about potential staff shortages or rostering issues contributing to the delay. Goody and her partner eventually reached the Royal Hobart Hospital emergency department two and a half hours after the initial call, where she experienced two additional seizures during treatment.
Ongoing Health Struggles
"They were expecting the second seizure as an aftershock from the original one, but while they were doing tests on me, I ended up having a third one, which they weren't expecting," Goody explained. She has yet to receive a formal diagnosis and is awaiting an MRI, with expectations of spending months on an outpatient list.
This incident highlights the mounting pressures on Tasmania's health system, which is currently embroiled in statewide strikes at four major hospitals due to an ongoing pay dispute between the State Government and the Health and Community Services Union. The case underscores broader concerns about emergency response adequacy and resource allocation in the region.
