Ambo patients’ waits ‘ramped up’

JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
Five per cent of ambulance patients wait more than 40 minutes for transfers to beds after arriving at Geelong Hospital, according to new State Government figures.
The Government statistics on ambulance delays at hospital emergency departments, known as ramping, showed average waits of 17 minutes.
Twenty-five per cent of patients waited longer than 20 minutes.
Ten per cent waited in ambulances for more than 25 minutes and one per cent waited longer than one hour, the figures revealed.
Health Minister David Davis this week publicly released the figures, from July to December, for the first time.
“For too long many of these statistics were hidden from public scrutiny but the Government is determined to ensure people can get a realistic picture on how the system is performing.”
Mr Davis said the Coalition Government was committed to delivering 800 new beds in its first term to ease banking up of patients due to bed shortages.
“Access block” could force several ambulances to wait simultaneously on hospital ramps with patients, he said.
“Ambulance Victoria and our major public hospitals will need to work together to reduce patient transfer times.”