Lucas-Winter Valley area needs ambulance branch, manager says

After the pressure of a COVID pandemic, Ambulance Victoria Grampians Area manager Andrew Fleming said he was concerned about staff burnout and would like to see a new ambulance station in the west to meet the burgeoning growth area.

"Ten years ago Ballarat was a moderately-paced area. Now we are working the sorts of hours and at the pace you would see in the middle of Melbourne," he said.

"That Delacombe-to-Smythesdale area is an important corridor for us. We're also working to have a new resource to the Ballarat West growth corridor, which is one of the fastest-growing areas in the state."

The Winter Valley emergency precinct in Mirelle Drive has a fire station and police complex but Mr Fleming wonders what happened to the ambulance building promised in 2014.

PRESSURE POINTS

"Nothing ever eventuated," Mr Fleming said. "It would be amazing if something like that could happen in the future."

Ballarat is blessed with two universities offering paramedicine, giving branches a steady stream of fourth-year students.

But he said the average paramedic lasted just eight years in the job.

"My main goal in this job is to make sure paramedics come to work and feel healthy, happy and supported," Mr Fleming said. "The staff here are just so hardworking - and coming out of COVID we are all fatigued."

On top of that he is negotiating distance - with stations up to 125km apart - and areas like Ballarat's west in need of more resources, as well as the north of Golden Plains and the western half of Hepburn.

"We are working hard to have the 12-hour Creswick branch converted to a 24 hour branch. It is covered at night from Wendouree at the moment," Mr Fleming said.

"We are collecting the statistics so we can present our arguments. We have everything (physically) ready to go in Creswick but we just need the final touches (to run 24 hours)."

But there is already some good news.

While Ballarat's response times have waxed and waned over time, Mr Fleming said they compared favourably with many other council areas.

"The Ballarat Local Government Area in particular is generally one of the top three performing LGAs in the state, mainly due to the incredible hard work of our paramedics," he said.

"I'm really lucky. People in Ballarat need to remember that they are getting an ambulance quicker than in many other parts of the state."

"We've (also) just introduced a MICA unit at the new station in Ararat which runs from 9am to 9pm, seven days a week."

Until now the nearest MICA paramedics have been in Horsham (95km away) and Ballarat (90km).

Avoca is also in the process of getting a new station to replace a structure built in 2010. Both towns are in the marginal electorate of Ripon.

The cards and letters left at the Wendouree station aren't arriving as freely as they did pre-COVID, but Mr Fleming said they were always appreciated. They are put on show - boosting morale - and if the paramedic is named, they are also photocopied and put on file.

But Ambulance Victoria personnel still face the frustrations of dealing with patients who arguably don't need them.

He urged people feeling unwell to consider contacting Nurse-on-Call or the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department.

"The VVED has been a game-changer," he said. "If you are eligible, you'll be connected virtually to emergency doctors and nurses who will provide medical advice, from the comfort of your own home or workplace.

"Many aged care services are using it now. It also helps determine if an ambulance is needed."

As the region adjusted to 'COVID-normal' Mr Fleming said there was still a high demand for ambulance services.

IN THE NEWS

"We also want people to try and be more aware of upcoming events such as heatwaves, black ice, pollen, and heavy rain," he said.

"Extreme heat can affect anybody, but older people and children are particularly at risk of heatstroke and dehydration.

"It's important to regularly check in with elderly relatives and neighbours to make sure they're OK, particularly if they live alone."

So with so many challenges, why would you become a paramedic?

"It's a high-pressure job, and it can be extremely intense but the people I work with make it very enjoyable," Mr Fleming said.

The Area Manager has developed deep local roots, after meeting his Ballarat-born wife while they were both nursing at the Alfred Hospital.

The pair nursed overseas for a few years. He said he later trained in paramedicine at the University of Ballarat before working in Stawell, Sebastopol and other stations that led him into management.

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