Paramedics in Victoria were as busy as they have ever been between October and December last year, according to newly released response time data.
For the first time on record, the state’s ambulance service responded to more than 100,000 seriously ill people in a three-month period to close out 2022.
In the Campaspe Shire, response times to Code 1 cases in the period were on average 17 minutes and 20 seconds — 41 seconds quicker than the previous three months.
They remained slower than the October to December 2021 period by an average of 29 seconds.
Code 2 callouts were completed by an average of two minutes and 51 seconds quicker in the last quarter of 2022 (45 minutes and 55 seconds) compared to the third quarter, but again remain slower than the final quarter of 2021 (34 minutes and 59 seconds).
Campaspe Shire average ambulance response times, 2022
CODE 1
Oct-Dec: 17 minutes and 20 seconds
Jul-Sep: 18 minutes and one second
Apr-Jun: 16 minutes and 45 seconds
Jan-Mar: 16 minutes and 53 seconds
CODE 2
Oct-Dec: 45 minutes and 55 seconds
Jul-Sep: 48 minutes and 46 seconds
Apr-Jun: 46 minutes and 33 seconds
Jan-Mar: 45 minutes and 52 seconds
Ambulance Victoria Hume regional director Narelle Capp said ambulance responses for the second quarter of 2022/23 were impacted by soaring demand, sicker patients, and staff furloughing because of COVID-19.
“Across the state, October to December was the busiest quarter in Ambulance Victoria’s history with paramedics called to a record 100,234 Code 1 cases,” Ms Capp said.
“In the face of this record demand and the impacts of COVID-19 on our lives, our dedicated paramedics in the Hume Region continue to do an amazing job delivering world-class care to our patients.”
From October to December across Victoria, paramedics responded to 60.2 per cent of Code 1 cases within the statewide average target of 15 minutes. The statewide average response time to Code 1 cases was 16 minutes and 44 seconds.
During the quarter, an average of 112 staff a day were furloughed across the state because of COVID-19.
As a new wave of COVID-19 spread, the number of staff furloughed increased from a low of 31 on October 1, 2022, to a peak of 202 on December 20, 2022.
Ms Capp said paramedics were seeing a record proportion of sicker patients who needed the most serious, time-critical Code 1 response.
“A year ago, life-threatening Code 1 cases made up 42 per cent of the total Triple Zero (000) demand — which has now risen to 46 per cent in this quarter,” Ms Capp said.
“And on December 27, 2022, paramedics responded to 1304 Code 1 cases — the first time we have broken 1300 Code 1 cases in one day.
“That is why I encourage all Victorians to take care of themselves and keep regular check-ups with your GP or specialist before your condition worsens and you need to call for our lifesaving care.”
Greater Shepparton’s Code 1 caseload increased by 5.1 per cent from the same time period in 2021, but the number of those cases responded to within 15 minutes dropped by more than six per cent.
Paramedics attended 66.8 per cent of Code 1 patients in the Greater Shepparton LGA within 15 minutes — compared with 73.2 per cent the same time in 2021.
The average response time to Code 1 patients was 16 minutes and 23 seconds.
Between July and September the average response time to Code 1 cases in Greater Shepparton was 15 minutes and 55 seconds.
Ambulance Victoria executive director clinical operations Anthony Carlyon said his organisation was attending 1800 to 2000 cases a day.
“From October to December, 41,440 callers to Triple Zero (000) did not need an emergency ambulance and were instead connected by paramedics and nurses in our Secondary Triage team to more appropriate care,” Mr Carlyon said.
“That results in 500 or more cases every day being safely matched to services that better suit their needs while also avoiding emergency dispatch. While ambulances are always provided to patients when required, about one in five calls to Triple Zero (000) do not need an emergency ambulance response.
“Ambulance Victoria is working hard to relieve pressure in the system and get ambulances back on the road faster with more than 1300 paramedics recruited over the past two years.
“For less urgent cases we’ve tripled the size of our Secondary Triage team, while paramedics on the road have referred over 23,000 cases to the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department (VVED) since October 2021 to help avoid unnecessary trips to our busy hospitals.
“Meanwhile, our Medium Acuity Transport Service (MATS) crews dedicated for less-urgent calls are freeing up more ambulances to respond to the most critically ill patients.”