Townsville Ambulance response times rise to 14 minutes for critically ill patients

Paramedics are being delayed from getting to their patients by the continued onslaught of Covid-19, as Queensland Ambulance response times slow across Townsville. See the latest data.

The ongoing threat of Covid has seen Queensland Ambulance response times across Greater Townsville slowed by two minutes in the last quarter — with 90 per cent of category one patients now waiting up to 14 minutes for a paramedic to arrive.

The Latest Queensland Ambulance Service performance data shows 50 per cent of patients across the region waited 8 minutes for a responding paramedic, while the 90 percentile waited up to 14.1 minutes.

Despite the two-minute extension of response times for 90 per cent of patients across the region, a Queensland Ambulance Service representative told the Townsville Bulletin category 1 incidents were still being responded to within designated targets.

Response times for Ambos across Townsville have slowed by two minutes for critically ill patients.

Under the Statewide Service Delivery Statement, critical incidents are expected to be responded to with 50 per cent of attended within 8.2 minutes and 90 per cent within 16.5 minutes.

“The Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS), like all ambulance and hospital services across the nation, is currently experiencing unprecedented pressure,” a QAS spokeswoman said.

“Critically, the timeliness of the response is managed to ensure the most urgent patients are seen first.

Queensland Ambulance Service.

“This process is overseen by senior paramedics and doctors within the Clinical Hub to ensure patients waiting for an ambulance are safe to do so.

“Where demand surges occur and paramedic availability to respond to emergency cases in the community is impacted, the QAS works collaboratively with each Hospital and Health Service to release ambulance units impacted by delays transferring patients at hospital Emergency Departments.”