Lifeline Central Victoria and Loddon Mallee CEO Leo Schultz said short-lived 10 per cent spike in calls answered locally this year, there were there still too many desperate calls not being picked up. 

“That’s a real concern to us that we can't answer every call … there are people in Bendigo calling whose calls wouldn’t be answered,” Mr Schultz said. 

He said the organisation as a whole could not pick up 15 per cent of calls, amounting to 150,000 nation-wide. 

“We know that a certain percentage of people that ring Lifeline are in current acute suicidality – they are thinking of suicide,” he said. 

“They are just as likely to be someone whose call is unanswered.”

Local Lifeline volunteers answered almost 10 per cent more calls compared to last year, according to the local group’s annual report. 

Volunteers answered 22,563 calls — up from 20,590 the previous year, marking a  9.6 per cent increase. 

Mr Schultz said the 10 per cent jump not reflect more callers to Lifeline, but that more calls were able to be answered. 

He said their increased capacity to pick up the phone more often was because 42 new telephone crisis supporters were trained this year.

But Mr Schultz said predicted the positive trend would not continue – “quite the opposite” due to financial constraints. 

“In the next financial year, it is less likely we'll be able to maintain that level of service. We don't have the level or resources to support our volunteers like we did last year.” 

“We're having to cut back on services.

“We would like to recruit everyone who is interested, but because the nature of the work is so demanding, we need to put work into looking after them and that puts a limit on how much work we can do.”

Support is available for anyone who may be distressed by phoning Lifeline 13 11 14.