Paramedic response times improve

By Djembe Archibald

Nov 10, 2023

Improving response times: Data shows paramedics are getting to the most critically ill patients faster in the Hume Region compared to last year. Photo: Ambulance Victoria Facebook.

New Ambulance Victoria data shows paramedics are getting to the most critically ill patients faster in the Hume Region compared to last year.

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Hume regional and clinical operations director Steve Doyle said performance improved thanks to more paramedics and people in the community accessing alternative and ‘virtual’ care services.

“July to September saw ambulances across Victoria called to 96,594 code one [life-threatening] cases — 2002 more than a year ago — making it the fourth-busiest quarter in our history,” Mr Doyle said.

“Despite this high demand, ambulances arrived at ‘lights and sirens’ cases on average 23 seconds faster than a year ago and 52 seconds faster than the previous quarter.”

From July to September this year, paramedics across Victoria responded to 66 per cent of code one cases within the state-wide target of 15 minutes — up from 61.7 per cent for the previous three months and 64.3 per cent a year ago.

As a result, the state-wide average response time to code one emergencies dropped to 15 minutes and 12 seconds, with this time last year sitting at an average of 15 minutes and 35 seconds and last quarter at 16 minutes and four seconds.

Compared to a year ago, in the Hume Region, performance has improved in 12 local government areas, including Greater Shepparton, Benalla, Indigo, Moira and Mitchell.

In Greater Shepparton, the average response time to code one patients was 13 minutes and 45 seconds, an improvement from 15 minutes and 55 seconds a year ago.