The NSW Government announced $1.76 billion over four years to deliver 1858 extra paramedics, 210 ambulance support staff, 52 nurses and eight doctors.

The government also promised to open 52 more ambulance stations.

At the Special General Meeting, Tweed Hospital branch member Lesley Ann Stevens said the hospital sometimes had 30 people waiting for ward beds, yet nurses were not allowed to go to code yellow or code brown.

“We only have 20 acute spaces to assess people anyway, so patients are living in chairs. It’s not good and we are worried that someone is going to die,” she said.

Michael Whaites said the union was hearing stories like this from every ED across the state.

“The government refuses to recognise the need for shift-by-shift ratios of 1:3 in EDs to help with rising attendances and increased ambulance ramping,” he said.

“Having more ambulances on the roads is desperately needed – but without 1:3 in ED this will mean more ambulances ramped as they hit a bed-block crisis at the door.”