New data shows ambulances responded to the most serious cases on average 24 seconds faster in Bendigo in the final three months of the year, compared to the same period in 2017.

Yet paramedics fell short of arriving at 90 per cent of Bendigo cases within 15 minutes by 2.4 per cent.

The same target exists for Maryborough, where paramedics reached 81.6 per cent of cases within 15 minutes.

In Castlemaine they reached 68.3 per cent.

Responses across the wider Mount Alexander shire were slower than at the same time last year, with ambulances only reaching 50.7 per cent of the highest priority cases within 15 minutes.

There, ambulances reached only 50.7 per cent of its highest priority cases within 15 minutes.

It was a drop from 53.8 per cent of cases at the same time a year previously, AV Loddon Mallee regional director Michael Georgiou said.

“While fluctuations of this type are not uncommon for large geographic areas with a relatively low number of code one call outs, we are reviewing how we can best provide coverage to this area to improve our response performance,” he said.

Despite Mount Alexander Shire’s results, most central Victorian areas recorded improvements in response times, helping shave statewide priority one response times to 11 minutes and 12 seconds, with 83.9 per cent of patients were being responded to within 15 minutes.

Mr Georgiou said state-wide improvements followed recent reforms and “significant investment in ambulance services”.

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Ambulance Victoria CEO Tony Walker said the last 41 of 450 new paramedics are hitting the road.

“Clearly there are a number of factors contributing to our improved results but the simple fact that we have more paramedics on the ground is a significant contributor,” he said.

“Our new recruits are registered paramedics who have completed their university degree, are now undergoing induction and, from mid-February, will begin operational shifts.”

It was part of work since 2016 targeting better response times, which have also included new deployments to branches across the state and new vehicles and equipment.

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