Federal Health Minister Mark Butler admits Australia’s health system is strained, following revelations a man died after paramedics were ramped at a hospital in Melbourne’s east.

On Wednesday morning, Victorian Ambulance Union secretary Danny Hill revealed an intensive care crew was ramped at Maroondah Hospital in Melbourne’s east in June when they heard about an urgent patient over their radios.

The paramedics tried to offload their existing “low acuity” patient and attend to the man after a crew much further away was dispatched to go to him, Hill said. However, the hospital rejected their request.

The paramedics ended up calling another ambulance crew to allow them to leave the hospital. But the man in cardiac arrest later died.

“The hospital said, ‘well, we’re busy, we can’t let you go’,” Hill told ABC Melbourne Radio’s Rafael Epstein this morning. The union boss said the patient “didn’t get that full compliment [of paramedics] that would typically be sent to a cardiac arrest.”

Health Minister Mark Butler said the situation “reminds me how strained our hospital system is across Australia”.

Government funding for a nearby urgent care clinic will make a big difference to the Maroondah Hospital, Butler said this morning.

An Ambulance Victoria spokesman said advanced life support paramedics attended to the man well within the target response time.

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“The MICA crew were able to attend the case after arranging alternative care for their patient,” the spokesman said.

A spokeswoman for the Eastern Health hospital where the ramping occurred said: “At times, our emergency departments experience significant pressures due to an increased volume of higher acuity cases, which can lead to limited bed availability.”

A Department of Health spokeswoman said: “the median emergency department waiting time remains steady, and all urgent patients are being seen immediately upon arrival”.