Brimbank will be home to one of six new ambulance “super response centres” to deal with major emergencies as well as day-to-day medical challenges.
The Brimbank super centre is the second to be announced, after news last week that one will be built in Footscray, with four more in Melbourne’s outer suburbs. The six centres will share about 200 new paramedics.
The Brimbank super centre comes on top of the announcement of a new 24-hour ambulance station for Taylors Lakes, with 14 full-time equivalent paramedics and a new ambulance vehicle.
Ambulance Services Minister Jill Hennessy said the two facilities would make a major difference to response times for Brimbank residents.
“Response times are the best they have been in five years, but there’s still more work to do,” Ms Hennessy said.
“Now we have the system working better, it’s time to invest in new branches and paramedics on the road.”
“In a medical emergency, every second saves lives. That’s why we’re ensuring people in Taylors Lakes get the right emergency care, quickly, when they need it.”
Figures show ambulance response times in Brimbank have improved in the past 12 months, with the average code one response time of 12.09 minutes in the September quarter an improvement on the 13.05 minute average code one response time a year earlier.
The 24-hour centre at Taylors Lakes will feature a drive in-and-out garage bay for vehicles, rest and recline areas, training rooms, bedrooms, modern amenities and fully-fitted kitchen.
Sydenham MP Natalie Hutchins said it was important to continue to support front-line medical staff.
“We’re putting people first and giving paramedics the support they deserve and need to save lives,” she said.
“The new Taylors Lake ambulance station will make a huge difference to this community’s hard-working and dedicated paramedics and makes room for more paramedics on the road.”
