Emergency Transport Benefit Rules

The Electrical Trades Union Victorian Branch (ETU) is committed to the promotion and protection of the health and safety of its members. The Electrical Trades Union Emergency Transport Scheme is designed to protect the health and safety of union members and their families and reduce the cost associated with Emergency Transport use.

Emergency Transport Benefit Scheme Claim Process

Step 1 After the emergency transport has been utilised, a financial ETU member, that has also been a financial member for at least the preceeding six months, completes the Emergency Transport Benefit Claim Form (the Form).

Step 2 The Claimant submits the completed Form along with the Tax Invoice from the emergency transport service that was utilised to the ETU Office for processing.

Advice on the operation of the Scheme may be sought at any time either from the ETU Welfare Officer or the Industrial Administration Support Officer.

1.1 Who can claim?

Any financial member, that has also been a financial member for at least the preceeding six months, of the Victorian Branch of the ETU and their immediate family can receive the advantage of the Scheme within Australia. The Scheme is available to all members and where applicable, to their immediate family members, from the moment they commence their ETU membership.

Being a financial member of the ETU is a non-negotiable for access to the Scheme, and is the fundamental requirement of making any claim under the ETU Emergency Transport Policy. The claimant must be a financial member, that has also been a financial member for at least the preceeding six months, of the ETU at the date that the emergency transport was used.

ETU members who have been suspended for more than three months are not entitled to access the Scheme, unless special access is granted via the direction of the Secretary or Assistant Secretary.

The Scheme is a benefit specific to Victorian membership of the ETU. Victorian members who are interstate at the time that they require the emergency vehicle remain eligible for the benefit of the Scheme.

Interstate members of other ETU branches who are working in Victoria are required to join up at the Victorian Branch in order to access the Scheme.

1.2 Definition of Financial Membership

Financial Member is defined as an ETU Member that is paid up to date with their ETU union fees, in accordance to ETU rules.

1.3 Definition of Immediate Family Member

Immediate family includes the following:

• a spouse or de facto partner (live-in, unmarried partner) of the member;
• a child of the member (under the age of 17 years), and/or their partner, including an adopted or foster child, or a child where the member or their partner is responsible.

The Scheme covers members’ children who are full-time students up until the age of 25 years of age. Members may need to show a current student card in order to evidence a claim for a child under 25 who is a full-time student.

Where a child is awaiting placement at a tertiary institution, coverage will continue up to 31 March of the year for which they applied for the placement.

Separated partners and former spouses of ETU members are not eligible for coverage by the Scheme, unless; they have been specifically nominated for coverage by the requisite member; and permission has been granted by the Secretary or Assistant Secretary.

Children of the ETU member, who reside with a separated partner or spouse, remain eligible for the benefit of the Scheme in all the same circumstances as a child who resides with the ETU member.

1.4 What is covered?

The Emergency Transport Policy is designed to facilitate relief for members who have suffered a medical emergency or require medically authorised travel and/or care via one of the following services:

• Victorian Ambulance Service;
• St John Ambulance;
• Advanced Medical Transport
• All interstate Ambulance Services under reciprocal rights with Ambulance Victoria;
• Any other organisation who, in the opinion of the ETU is a private provider.

The ETU Emergency Transport Policy is designed to facilitate member access to all forms of emergency, medical and/or surgery travel which is medically authorised.

Medically authorised, pursuant to the Ambulance Victoria definition means;

Transport or care that a doctor (or doctor’s delegate) has determined a patient requires for medical purposes, and has put this in writing. The decision will consider whether the patient is able to travel by other means (i.e. taxi, public transport, commercial airline etc) or may require a Medical escort without Ambulance Victoria transport.

This can include;

• Ambulance treatment;
• Ambulances and other emergency vehicles called from a doctor’s surgery;
• All forms of stretchered travel in emergency vehicles;
• Forms of alternative care provided by Ambulance Victoria resources.

1.5 What is not covered?

Transportation which does not fit the Ambulance Victoria criteria for medically authorised, will also fail to meet the ETU’s criteria for access to the Scheme.

Via this definition, the Scheme will not cover;

• Transport from one home to another;
• Relocation from one accommodation facility to another or from hospital to home and return to hospital for a weekend or holiday relief;
• Repatriation from one state to another based on reasons of convenience or social reasons;
• Transport that is the responsibility of a third party to pay – this can be found via a list available at www.health.vic.gov.au/ambulance/index;
• Where an insurance provider has already compensated the member for the cost of the medical travel or care;
• Legal and recovery costs charged by Ambulance Victoria.

1.6 Privacy and Security

The ETU respects members’ privacy. Any Emergency Transport Benefit claims are held in the strictest confidence and securely stored at all times during processing. Any third parties contacted, such as Ambulance Victoria, will be for the sole purpose of processing the claim.

1.7 Ambulance Subscription Fee

In special circumstances, such as a serious, ongoing medical condition which has been diagnosed in the previous six months, the Assistant Secretary or Secretary also has the discretion to authorise the payment of the ambulance subscription fee for certain members.

Members seeking payment of the ambulance subscription fee should be referred to the Assistant Secretary or Secretary for approval via a written referral from their ETU Organiser.