Ambulances in the Ballarat region are taking almost twice as long to attend urgent code one incidents as they should, according to a secretive Ambulance Victoria report.
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A government target for 90 per cent of ambulances to reach a patient within 15 minutes is not even close to the actual figure across the Central Grampians region, which sits at 28.53 minutes. This figure (for July) is one of the worst results in the state.
The bitter dispute between Ambulance Victoria and its staff members led to a refusal to release response-time data for local areas on the basis that it could cause people to drive themselves or others to hospitals or not take up membership. The data was eventually published by Fairfax Media this week.
Ballarat West MP Sharon Knight hit out at the times.“If you think about the code ones and how critical they are, that is a long time for people to be waiting for when they are in critical need and the impact can be dire,” she said.
Code one incidents include strokes, heart attacks and serious car accidents.
Liberal candidate for Wendouree Craig Coltman said the Coalition had released more data than ever before focusing on clinical outcomes and survival rates.
“Outcomes have improved in country Victoria, with the Coalition Government’s roll-out of 10 MICA single responder units in regional centres.” Ambulance Victoria general manager Tony Walker remained quiet on the result.
“Ambulance Victoria is party to Federal Court proceedings regarding the release of response-time data through industrial action and it is not appropriate to comment on this data,” he said.
matthew.dixon@fairfaxmedia.com.au
- With The Age