Ambulances sent to fewer emergencies so far in 2017

AMBULANCES have been sent to 18,600 fewer emergency cases already this year compared to the first quarter of 2016, under a revamp to divert paramedics to true emergencies.

Ambulances have been sent to fewer ­emergency cases already this year. Generic picture: Mark Stewart

AMBULANCES have been sent to 18,600 fewer ­emergency cases already this year compared to the first quarter of last, under a revamp to divert paramedics to true emergencies.

The latest performance snapshots of Victoria’s hospital and ambulance systems show the overhaul of the ambulance dispatch service, which recorded and downgraded more than 300 emergency scenarios, has improved response times.

Premier Daniel Andrews said the January-March response times — including 80 per cent of Code 1 “lights and sirens” cases responded to within the 15-minute target, up from 75.6 per cent from the same time last year — showed his government had “ended the ambulance crisis”.

But opposition spokeswoman Mary Wooldridge accused Labor of manipulating data when spruiking improvements, given they were responding to 23 per cent fewer acute cases this year.

The new data shows that while patients are spending an average of three minutes less on ambulance trolleys waiting for a hospital bed, there ­remained pockets of poor ­ambulance response.

Life-threatening emergencies in suburban Melbourne usually receive an ambulance within 10-15 minutes.

Residents in Towong and Indigo in the northeast, and Golden Plains shire near Ballarat and Geelong, wait 20-35 minutes in 70-80 per cent of emergency cases.

Ambulance Victoria chief Tony Walker said the changes were “saving paramedics for real emergencies”.

The report also shows an extra 2062 people were waiting for elective surgery as of March 31.

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