Ambulance response times show strain

The average response time for a code one incident, which requires urgent care, was 21.27 minutes on average with 43.7 per cent of such incidents seeing paramedics on scene within 15 minutes.

The same time last year saw paramedics on scene in 17.42 minutes for a code one, with 53.7 per cent of incidents responded to within 15 minutes.

Code two incidents that need acute care had responses within 46.01 minutes on average, compared to an average of 35.37 minutes at the same time last ear.

There were more code one incidents recently compared to the same time last year, with 593 responses in last year’s second quarter of 2020/21 period compared to 561 in this year’s second quarter 2021/22.

However, code two incidents decreased from 461 responses in 2020/21’s second quarter compared to 411 at the same time this year.

The 2021/22 periods cover October 1, 2021, to December 31, 2021, while the 2020/2021 periods cover October 1, 2020, to December 31, 2020.

The report said response times could be affected by traffic, distance from the incident, ambulance availability and demands on the service.

Increased demands for ambulances as well as staff shortages due to COVID-19 cases and isolation requirements are the likely cause of these increased wait times.

Nationals member for Ovens Valley Tim McCurdy said lives should not be disadvantaged because of the government’s “inability” to support paramedics.

“In emergency situations residents across regional Victoria should have confidence in their emergency services,” he said.

“This is a matter of life and death ... This is not fair on our regional communities and this is not fair on our hard-working paramedics.”