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.
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 over six per cent.
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 due to 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 state-wide average target of 15 minutes. The state-wide 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 due to COVID-19. As a new wave of COVID-19 spread, the number of staff furloughed increased from a low of 31 on October 1 to a peak of 202 on December 20.
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.
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 000 demand, which has now risen to 46 per cent in this quarter,” Ms Capp said.
“And on December 27, 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.”
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 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 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 since October 2021 to help avoid unnecessary trips to our busy hospitals.
“Meanwhile, our Medium Acuity Transport Service crews dedicated for less-urgent calls are freeing up more ambulances to respond to the most critically ill patients.”