November 3rd, 2022Ambulance response times stabilise
Ambulance response performance has now stabilised despite paramedics facing their busiest winter on record, Ambulance Victoria says.
| Ambulance response performance has now stabilised despite paramedics facing their busiest winter on record, Ambulance Victoria says. Ambulance Victoria Grampians Regional Director Chris James said demand for ambulance services remained at record levels for the first quarter of 2022/23 due to the continued impacts of COVID-19 and the flu. “July to September was our busiest first quarter on record, and the second busiest quarter ever,” Mr James said. “Together with the previous quarter, this was by far the busiest and most challenging winter ever.” Across the state, ambulances were called to 94,592 Code 1 cases from July to September. That’s a drop of 3,335 Code 1 cases from the previous quarter, but a massive 17.6 per cent or 14,132 more ‘lights and sirens’ cases compared to this time last year. In the Ballarat Local Government Area (LGA), there was a 14.3 per cent increase in Code 1 caseload from the same time last year. Paramedics attended 77.3 per cent of Code 1 patients in the Ballarat LGA within 15 minutes – compared with 77.5 per cent in the previous quarter. The average response time to Code 1 patients was 13 minutes and 11 seconds – an improvement from 13 minutes and 23 seconds in the previous quarter. Response times were faster in the Ballarat major population centre, with paramedics reaching 79 per cent of Code 1 patients within 15 minutes – compared with 79.1 per cent in the previous quarter. The average Code 1 response time was 12 minutes and 59 seconds. |
