Pulford praise for paramedics
Member for Western Victoria Jaala Pulford says a rise in paramedics and hospital staff has led to shorter wait times for ambulances in the Wimmera.
Ms Pulford said recently released data for the September quarter showed an improvement in wait times for serious code-one calls in all municipalities across the region compared to the same period a year prior.
In Yarriambiack Shire 44.8 percent of ambulances arrived within 15 minutes, up from 35.6 percent in 2018.
West Wimmera ambulance responses came in an average of 18 minutes and 10 seconds, with 48.6 percent arriving within 15 minutes – a six-percent improvement in the space of a year.
Northern Grampians Shire residents had a 69.7 percent chance of receiving an ambulance within 15 minutes, up from 63.6 percent.
Horsham Rural City had the best response times in the Wimmera, with 83.6 percent of residents receiving an ambulance within 15 minutes.
The figure was up from 82.3 percent despite Horsham ambulances responding to 299 calls this year, up from 249 in 2018.
Hindmarsh Shire wait times improved significantly, with an average time of 17 minutes and 53 seconds compared to 26 minutes and 58 seconds in 2018.
More than 67 percent of Hindmarsh residents received an ambulance within 15 minutes, up from 39.4 percent a year prior.
Ararat Rural City also improved, with 67.2 percent of ambulances arriving within 15 minutes – up from 62.8 percent. The average wait time in the city was 13 minutes, 48 seconds.
Ms Pulford said people in the region were also waiting less time for elective surgery and urgent specialist appointments despite a surge in the number of people attending hospitals during flu season.
She said the figures were a result of a $1-billion State Government investment into paramedics and ambulance stations – including $299-million in the 2019-20 budget – and a $200-million flu package.
She said a decrease in wait times in the midst of what she termed ‘Australia’s worst flu season on record’ was a testament to the hard work of health professionals.
“I want to thank each and every one of our incredible paramedics, doctors, nurses and other health workers in the Wimmera for their care and dedication in treating patients quickly and efficiently despite the extra pressure,” she said.
“We back our health and ambulance services in places like Ararat, Nhill, Rainbow, Warracknabeal, Horsham and Stawell because even during busy times like this Victorians deserve the very best care, when they need it, close to home.”
Across Victoria hospitals treated 474,175 emergency department patients – 23,300 more than at the same time in 2018.
Ambulance services also managed the largest number of emergency cases for the quarter with 78,130 code-one callouts, up from 69,753 a year earlier.
Ms Pulford said paramedics managed more than 8300 extra calls across the state in the September quarter, arriving within 15 minutes for 83.3 percent of code-one calls – an improvement of 11.5 percent on the last year of the Liberal-nationals government in 2014.