General News
6 August, 2024
Paramedics attend incidents more quickly during Victoria’s busiest recorded quarter
While Central Goldfields paramedics are reaching emergencies faster than last year, a new report states ambulances are failing to reach target response times across the shire.
According to Ambulance Victoria’s (AV) recently released performance report for April-June of this year, local services responded to 51.1 percent of incidents requiring urgent care within 15 minutes, with an average response time of 19 minutes and 13 seconds.
Although the average is nearly 90 seconds quicker than the same quarter last year, it fails to reach AV’s internal targets of responding to 85 percent of Code 1 incidents in 15 minutes or less.
Maryborough saw similar improvements to the shire, with a nearly three percent increase of responses under 15 minutes to 63.8 percent and over 100 seconds shaved off the average response time to 16 minutes and 28 seconds.
The neighbouring Hepburn and Mount Alexander shires posted better average response times than the Central Goldfields (18 minutes 17 seconds and 19 minutes five seconds respectively), while the Pyrenees Shire posted an average time of just over 23 minutes and the Loddon Shire surpassed 25 minutes.
Across Victoria, performances to the 15 minute target improved in 55 of the states 79 local government areas compared to 2023, as 64.2 percent of Code 1 cases were attended to within 15 minutes with the state-wide average response time 15 minutes and 37 seconds.
AV Loddon Mallee regional director Matt McCrohan said Victorian paramedics have done a remarkable job responding to more than 102,000 Code 1 cases across, AV’s busiest quarter in history surpassing 100,238 Code 1 cases set in October to December 2022.
“That’s nearly 5000 more ‘lights and sirens’ cases compared to the same time last year and a huge 35.2 percent more Code 1 cases before the pandemic five years ago,” he said.
“The entire health system continues to be extremely busy due to seasonal illness such as flu, COVID-19 and RSV circulating within our communities and our workforce.
“Our dedicated paramedics and first responders in Loddon Mallee do an incredible job in the face of record-breaking demand, providing best care to our communities every day.”
AV executive director regional operations Danielle North said residents should be aware of alternative health services available to ensure local ambulance services can reach emergencies as fast as possible.
“We continue to work with our partners at Triple Zero Victoria to support the call taking and dispatch process, noting that about one in five calls to Triple Zero (000) do not need an emergency ambulance response,” she said.
“There are many alternative care pathways that people can access when they need timely medical care and health advice but not an emergency ambulance.
“You can connect directly with the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department (VVED) at www.vved.org.au anywhere, any-time in the comfort of home and avoid a trip to hospital.
“Other options include your local Priority Primary Care Centre (PPCC), GP or pharmacist, or Nurse-On-Call on 1300 60 60 24.
“From April to June, 41,704 people who did not need an emergency ambulance were instead connected to more appropriate care by paramedics and nurses in AV’s Secondary Triage team.
“In 2023/24, paramedics referred more than 30,000 patients to the VVED and 9,574 patients were referred to the VVED following assessment in Secondary Triage.”