His parents Jennifer Hyland and Neil Gorham question why the cross-border arrangement underpinning the health service seemed less successful when they called an ambulance for their five-year-old the day before.

On Wednesday morning, Charlie had a seizure at preschool in Corowa and was taken to the local hospital, where it was recommended further testing be done at Albury to identify links to him being on the Autism Spectrum.

They got the all-clear to leave Albury hospital about 4.30pm, with the advice to ring triple-0 if he had another seizure.

An hour later the family were near the turn-off to Howlong on Gooramadda Road when Charlie began convulsing again.

They pulled over, and while his partner was placing an unconscious Charlie into the recovery position, Mr Gorham rang triple-0.

“The operator was helping us with all the medical processes – he was great,” he said.

“He was talking along the lines of ‘We are trying to find the best outcome in regards to who to send’.

“For 10 minutes they were trying to decide whether to send Victoria or NSW.”

It was Ambulance NSW that reached them about 5.45pm, 35 minutes after the call was made – and Charlie was taken to hospital.

Just after they left, Ambulance Victoria also arrived.

It’s unknown what time the NSW ambulance was dispatched, and Ms Hyland said there was confusion when the paramedics arrived from Corowa – 16 minutes away.

“The said they’d only had the job for 10 minutes, and when I said ‘He’s been asleep on the side of the road for half an hour’, they were surprised,” she said.

“You don’t care whether it’s Victoria or NSW … he’s just had a massive seizure and is fully unconscious laying on the side of the road.

“We could have walked across the road to someone’s property and we would have been in NSW.”

The couple wanted to be clear they had no qualms with the ambulance services, but questioned what the process was for dispatching a unit in border areas.

“How come 20 kilometres away (in Albury) we can get cross-border medical care working well, but a couple of clicks downstream it takes 45 minutes and two different state resources?” Mr Gorham said.

“I am not in any way having a go at the paramedics on the front line – they do an outstanding job.

“It seems to be a cross-border government problem yet again.”

Ambulance Victoria Hume acting regional director Matt Chadban said his organisation was notified by NSW of a child with seizures at 5.34pm, and responded with the nearest available ambulance – lights and sirens activated – which arrived at 5.59pm.

“AV also dispatched an intensive care paramedic to the case and put a helicopter crew on alert – thankfully the patient did not need these extra services,” he said.

“Ambulance Victoria and Ambulance Service NSW have a cross-border agreement, which means the closest available ambulance is sent to emergency patients.

“Under this agreement, Ambulance Service NSW provides emergency coverage for the Rutherglen region in Victoria, with Ambulance Victoria providing a secondary response.

“We understand waiting for an ambulance can be difficult and stressful and would be happy to meet the family involved if they wish to discuss the matter further.”

Ambulance Victoria has been asked to ensure the cross-border agreement with New South Wales is providing the best response model, a spokesman for Victorian Ambulance Services Minister Jill Hennessy said.

Issues relating to the state border and service provision are common, but this is one that has been less publicised.

It’s been raised by Fairfax Media in Bombala, NSW, where in 2009 a resident on the Victorian side of the border was told paramedics six hours away in Victoria would be assigned the job.

Further, a 2016 submission to the review of the Ambulance Services Act 1986 (Vic) written by Australian National University College of Law Associate Professor Michael Eburn raised other border anomalies.

He explained that paramedics from interstate could not legally enter Victoria with certain drugs and stated as a matter of urgency, this should be rectified.

Dr Eburn told The Border Mail to his knowledge no major amendments had been made in line with his submission, though the national registration of paramedics from December 1 would address the issue.

“The law says NSW paramedics can’t carry drugs into Victoria, but clearly they do,” he said.

“The issue in my view is that the Ambulance Services Act doesn’t really govern ambulance services, but governs the Victorian ambulance service.

“There are border issues, and they are sorted out in other places – NSW and ACT have better arrangements.”

Dr Eburn said on the topic of dispatching ambulances in border areas, it was “a matter of co-operation”.

“NSW Ambulance could, if they wanted to, dig their heels in and say ‘We’re not going, because it’s in Victoria’ and the fact they did go (in Charlie’s case) shows there is co-operation,” he said.

“You might want there to be faster co-operation, but there is a state border.”

NSW Cross Border Commissioner James McTavish was familiar with Dr Eburn’s submission to the Victorian review, and said on that front, work was underway currently.

McTavish didn’t comment on Charlie’s case specifically.

“I’m unaware of any issues which require immediate attention (on cross-border ambulance arrangements in Victoria),” he said.

“The long-term commitment of both governments to amend cross-border issues is stronger now than it’s ever been … with the recent appointment of the Victorian Cross Border Commissioner.”

Benambra MP Bill Tilley said he was willing to speak to ambulance management locally.

“It's not our paramedics; our men and women work very hard and take their job very seriously,” he said.

“But sometimes the call-taker and call-maker might not be on the same page.

“I don't know if that was the case in this instance.

“If there is a need for more investment in resources …. both the cross-border commissioners and their parliamentary representatives can work that resource up.”

In the meantime, Mr Gorham is eager to understand more about the issue, whether anyone else has had a similar experience, and how he can push for improvements.

But what’s most important is Charlie is OK and with any luck, testing at the Royal Children’s Hospital in coming weeks will allay some of his parent’s concerns.

​Something to add? Email ellen.ebsary@fairfaxmedia.com.au.