By Luke Voogt
Geelong locals needing urgent medical attention are on average waiting more than a minute longer for help, according to the latest Ambulance Victoria data.
Between October and December 2020, greater Geelong paramedics took an average of 12 minutes and 12 seconds to respond to code one incidents involving flashing lights and sirens.
The time is an increase of 30 seconds on the previous quarter’s average of 11 minutes and 42 seconds and a one minute and two seconds increase on the average of 11 minutes and 10 seconds during October-December 2019.
Geelong ambulances responded to 79.6 per cent of call-outs under the 15-minute benchmark in October-December 2020, compared to 81.7 the previous quarter and 84.8 over the same period in 2019.
Demand has increased with paramedics responding to 3940 code one incidents in October-December 2020, compared to 3470 the previous quarter and 3675 during October-December 2019.
Average code one response times from central Geelong increased from 10 minutes and 36 seconds in October-December 2019 to 11 minutes and 31 minutes in 2020, with an increase in incidents from 2605 to 2722.
Average response times in Leopold and Lara increased by 18 and 26 seconds respectively in 12 months, while at Ocean Grove and Barwon Heads they ballooned by two minutes and 32 seconds.
Response times for code two incidents, which are acute and time-sensitive but do not require lights and sirens, have also increased.
In October-December 2020 the average greater Geelong response time was 29 minutes and 20 seconds, up four minutes and 36 seconds on 24 minutes and 44 seconds in October-December 2019.
Luke Voogt
