Tara Murray
Ambulance waiting times for the most serious patients have slightly increased in Brimbank in the three months to September, according to new Ambulance Victoria data.
The figures for the quarter one of the 2021-22 financial year showed the average waiting time for a code one response in Brimbank was 13.07 minutes, up from 13.04 in the previous quarter.
Just 76.5 per cent of cases were responded to within 15 minutes the benchmark set by Ambulance Victoria.
There were 74 fewer code one cases in Brimbank than in the previous quarter.
Across the state 73.5 per cent of code one cases were responded to within 15 minutes – an improvement of 0.4 per cent compared with the previous quarter (73.1 per cent) – with a statewide average response time of 13 minutes and 39 seconds.
The average waiting time for code two cases in Brimbank decreased by more than a minute to 36.03
In the previous quarter, the average waiting time was 37.29. The decrease in waiting time came despite seeing an additional 59 patients.
The average waiting time across the state for code two cases was 33.43.
Ambulance Victoria chief executive Professor Tony Walker said this quarter’s performance data were not surprising given the level of demand being experienced right across the state and Australia as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
“The entire healthcare system across Australia is under sustained pressure and our paramedics and first responders are experiencing this first-hand,” Professor Walker said.
“Along with increasing numbers of COVID-19 positive patients, demand has quickly rebounded to levels prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, despite the lockdowns.
“Performance has also been impacted by time spent at busy hospitals transferring patients, wearing PPE to all cases and people who have delayed visiting their GP or specialist during lockdown now finding themselves more unwell and needing urgent care.”
Professor Walker said Ambulance Victoria was doing everything it could to relieve pressure and reach patients in a timely manner.
One initiative, the Medium Acuity Transport Service (MATS), is responding to about 60 patients a day.
Up to 15 MATS crews operate each day from four metro-based hubs covering areas including Brimbank providing care for code two and three patients.
