Man dies after ambulance delay forces family to drive to Hobart hospital
A family drove a man to Royal Hobart Hospital after a 25-minute ambulance wait; he died shortly after arrival and a health investigation has begun.
A fall in inner Hobart triggered a Triple Zero call shortly before 11 pm on Saturday, first logged as a non-urgent Priority 4 case. When the victim’s breathing deteriorated, the call was re-rated to Priority 1, yet an ambulance was unavailable for 25 minutes due to three ambulances being “ramped” at Royal Hobart Hospital amid an emergency-department backlog. The family transported the man, believed to be in his late 40s, to the hospital just before midnight; he arrived in cardiac arrest, was resuscitated outside and then inside, but died shortly thereafter.
The Department of Health announced a comprehensive investigation with Ambulance Tasmania and the Tasmanian Health Service, and said it may refer the case to the coroner. The Health and Community Services Union blamed the ramped ambulances, noting other Priority 1 calls were also pending. Data show ambulance availability delays rose sharply in 2025-26.
Why it matters
It exposes ambulance shortages and systemic delays that can jeopardize patient survival in Tasmania.
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