- Minister for Ambulance Services
Ambulances arrived at the scene of emergencies on average more than two minutes quicker in the March quarter than at the height of the ambulance crisis under the former Liberal Government, new data shows.
Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Jenny Mikakos today released the March quarter of the Victorian Health and Human Services and Ambulance Victoria Performance Data, which show Code 1 ambulances arrived two minutes and 50 seconds quicker than the Liberals' final March quarter.
State-wide results show 84.2 per cent of ambulances arrived within the benchmark 15 minutes - an improvement on 83 per cent a year prior. In 2014 when the Liberals were in power, only 73.2 per cent arrived within 15 minutes - and ambulance response times blew out to the worst on the mainland.
Ambulances are also turning out to more emergencies. Some 72,318 Code 1 callouts were made for the quarter - 5705 more compared with the same period 12 months prior, and the third highest recorded since Ambulance Victoria's clinical response model reforms, which free up ambulances for emergencies.
In the City of Greater Geelong, ambulances responded to 3520 Code 1 calls, up on the 3095 call-outs in the March quarter 2018. In the Surf Coast Shire, ambulances responded to 369 Code 1 calls, up on the 352 previously.
Queenscliffe Borough's times continue to improve, with ambulances arriving in an average 16 minutes and 2 seconds, an improvement on the 16:49 arrival time a year prior, and 53.5 per cent of Queenscliffe's Code 1 ambulances arrived within 15 minutes, more than the 49.2 per cent a year prior.
The improvements are thanks to the Andrews Labor Government's $500 million investment in ambulance services, including an additional 450 paramedics, extra vehicles, new resources and new and upgraded ambulance branches.
Our dedicated paramedics provide life-saving treatment to those who need it most when an emergency strikes. They deserve our support so they can do what they do best. That's why the Labor Government's $500 million ambulance package was so important.
The quarterly data also shows our public health services are providing world-class care, despite Canberra's $305 million claw back from Victoria's hospitals - cuts that are hurting patients, nurses and doctors across the state.
Our hospitals did 689 more elective surgeries in the March quarter than they did a year prior and treated 89.6 per cent of all elective surgery patients within their benchmark times - up by 1.2 per cent, and the best March quarter result on record.
University Hospital Geelong did 51 more elective surgeries in the March quarter than they did a year prior and treated 94.5 per cent of all elective surgery patients within their benchmark times - up by 4.4 per cent.
More than half of Geelong's Category 1 urgent elective patients were treated within 12 days - two days faster than a year prior, and well under the benchmark target of 30 days.
As noted by Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Jenny Mikakos
"We can thank our hard-working paramedics, doctors, nurses and other health professionals for continuing to improve our health and emergency services."
As noted by Member for Geelong Christine Couzens
"Our local ambulance services are transporting more urgent cases and our hospitals are treating more patients despite Canberra's cuts - cuts that are hurting patients, nurses and doctors across the state."
As noted by Member for Bellarine Lisa Neville
"Our doctors and nurses can't provide first-class care without world-class hospitals, but Canberra refuses to fund new hospitals or give our hard-working workforce what they need to do their job.
As noted by Member for South Barwon Darren Cheeseman
"Whether it's at hospital or in the community, patients who need expert medical care are getting the treatment they need thanks to the dedication of our nurses, doctors and paramedics."
As noted by Member for Lara John Eren
"We've repaired the ambulance crisis that the Liberals created - and now we're going further. We'll employ more paramedics, build more stations and put more vehicles on the road."
