7am
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
AMBULANCE Victoria has drawn attention to other measures of performance, in its response to an increase in a key response time indicator for paramedics in Greater Bendigo.
The average time by which paramedics had responded to 90 per cent of life-threatening callouts rose by more than four minutes in Greater Bendigo between the first quarter of 2020-21 and the second.
An Ambulance Victoria spokesperson said response times were one measure of performance, but the standard of care, clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction were also important measures.
Other news:
They said Ambulance Victoria has recently announced $14.8 million funding packages to increase resources across the state, as part of a plan o meet growing patient demand.
The spokesperson said this included 77 extra paramedics, already working, and 16 Peak Period Units across Victoria.
They said AV had expanded its Secondary Triage Service with 12 extra practitioners, who care for patients not requiring a lights and sirens response.
Earlier
A UNION leader has warned that lives may be at risk, as data revealed a rise in a key response time indicator for paramedics during the final three months of 2020.
The average time by which paramedics had responded to 90 per cent of life-threatening callouts rose by more than four minutes in Greater Bendigo between the first quarter of 2020-21 and the second.
It took Bendigo's average 90th percentile response time for life-threatening incidents to more than 22 minutes. The Bendigo response time was more than five minutes higher than Victoria's average.
Ambulance Victoria's target is to have a response time of less than 15 minutes for more than 90 per cent of code one call outs, in areas with populations of at least 7500 people.
Other news:
The Victorian Agency for Health Information data revealed the change, showing the municipality's 90th percentile response time was more than five minutes higher than the statewide average.
This statewide average rose by two minutes in the same period, to 16.71 for the December quarter.
Greater Bendigo's median response times remained fairly stable during 2020, varying between 9.31 and 9.71 minutes.
Victorian Ambulance Union secretary Danny Hill said the rise verified the complaints from paramedics in Bendigo, who have said they fear patient safety is being compromised by staffing shortages.
Mr Hill said increased workload routinely meant a blowout in response times for paramedics.
He said the difference between 18 minutes and 22 minutes could be the difference between life and death for some patients.
"The numbers just confirm what our members have been telling us for many, many months, that they just don't have the resources to get to these patients on time," Mr Hill said.
"We're hearing [about] Bendigo [as] being one of the flashpoints about ambulance resourcing issues."
Funding for additional Ambulance Victoria peak period units in Bendigo was announced in January. These units are designed to manage growing demand in parts of Victoria.
Mr Hill said these units would help, but the system as a whole was the issue.
He said the issue told him the health system needed to be better more broadly, so early intervention reduced pressure on ambulance units and emergency departments.
"You can put on 100 extra resources, but if they're only doing one job a day because they're spending the whole time ramped at hospital ...," Mr Hill said.
"We know that both the ambulance system and the emergency departments are under enormous stress.
"We really need to get as much effort into ensuring people get the right healthcare as early as they can."
Ambulance Victoria's report for the second quarter of 2020-21 - October to December 2020 - showed 74 per cent of responses to life-threatening callouts took place within less than 15 minutes. The average response time was 13:29 minutes.
In the Loddon Shire 29.7 per cent of code one responses were within 15 minutes. The average response time was 21 minutes and 41 seconds.
Ambulance Victoria was contacted for comment on this piece.
This story was updated at 7am to reflect the fact that the four minute rise in time referred to the time by which 90 per cent of urgent callouts had been attended, rather than the median response time.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content:
- Bookmark bendigoadvertiser.com.au
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter @BgoAddy
- Follow us on Instagram @bendigoadvertiser
- Follow us on Google News