New South Wales ambulance under scrutiny for late response to Phillip Hughes's injury

Phillip Hughes received a sickening blow to his head at the SCG on Tuesday

As the entire cricketing fraternity mourns the death of Australian batsman Phillip Hughes, it has been revealed that the Ambulance Service of New South Wales took no less than 15 minutes to reach the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), that too only after the second call.

NSW Ambulance Commissioner Ray Creen will be answerable to the same as the ambulance dispatched after the first call made at 2.29pm, soon after the cricketer was struck on the head, arrived only at 2.52pm, 23 minutes later, reports Sydney Morning Herald.

An ambulance takes an average of 7.65 minutes across the state, responding to such calls of highest priority, when the person’s life is at stake. After the call was made, NSW wicket-keeper Peter Nevill left the ground to stand on Drivers Avenue, so that he could direct that ambulance.

Fortunately, an ambulance reached SCG from the nearby Prince of Wales Hospital at Randwick by 2.44pm, eight minutes after the second call was made at 2.37pm, as the first ambulance failed to arrive on time.

This was confirmed by Creen’s office, in contrast to their first statement issued on Wednesday morning.

"The initial triple zero call was received by NSW Ambulance at 2.37pm, arriving at the patient at 2.44pm where two paramedics provided support to the doctor on site treating the patient," the former statement read.

"The first ambulance to reach the Sydney Cricket Ground yesterday was dispatched from Prince of Wales Hospital following a triple zero call at 2.37pm," the second release informed.

"It arrived at 2.44pm and provided support to the team doctor (John Orchard) who began treating the patient within seconds of the incident. NSW Ambulance always tasks the closest available paramedic crew to all triple zero emergency calls regardless of the station at which their shift originates."

Health Minister demands an explanation

Health Minister Jillian Skinner said on Wednesday night that she would be meeting Commissioner Creen on Thursday, seeking an explanation.

"Due to the conflicting information distributed today by NSW Ambulance regarding [Tuesday's] response to the Sydney Cricket Ground, I will be meeting with NSW Ambulance Commissioner Ray Creen tomorrow to discuss the circumstances surrounding the incident," she said.