Barwon South West paramedics are attending more Code 1 cases across the region while recording improved response times over three months.
The Queenscliffe local government area (LGA) recorded the biggest response time improvements across the state, according to recent Ambulance Victoria (AV) data.
Paramedics attended 65.6 per cent of Queenscliffe LGA Code 1 patients within 15 minutes, up from 54.7 per cent in 2023, arriving one minute and 36 seconds faster between October and December last year.
The Greater Geelong LGA was the second busiest in the state as paramedics attended 4,860 Code 1 cases, 4.87 per cent of the state’s total Code 1 workload.
Barwon South West regional director Ian Hunt said 84 new graduate paramedics had been employed to help meet the increased demand.
“We know there is more work to do. AV continues to work with hospitals to promptly transfer patients and ensure all Victorians receive the right care at the right time,” he said.
“Our people are our greatest assets. Through them, we continue to lead the way in patient care, including one of the best cardiac arrest survival rates in the world.
“In 2023-24, paramedics referred nearly 43,000 patients to the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department (VVED), with over three quarters cared for without transport to a physical ED.”
Mr Hunt said people should save Triple Zero (000) calls for emergencies, with the VVED, urgent care clinics, Nurse-On-Call (1300 60 60 24) and other options available for less urgent cases.
“From October to December, 43,864 people across Victoria who did not need an emergency ambulance were instead connected to more appropriate care by paramedics and nurses in Secondary Triage,” he said.
Regional Operations executive director Danielle North said there had been a 26.6 per cent increase in Code 1 cases across the state “since the COVID-19 pandemic began more than five years ago”.
“October to December is commonly one of our busiest times, and last year was no exception as our crews were called to 99,799 Code 1 emergencies,” she said.
