General News
7 March, 2025
AV sees busy quarter for fourth time in a row
HARD working paramedics and first responders across Victoria are continuing to respond to around 100,000 critical ‘Code One’ emergencies every three months.
Ambulance Victoria (AV) executive director regional operations Danielle North said demand on ambulance crews remains steadily high – with the last quarter of 2024 AV’s fourth busiest on record.
“We have seen a 26.6 per cent increase in Code One cases since the COVID-19 pandemic began more than five years ago,” she said.
“October to December is commonly one of our busiest times, and last year was no exception as our crews were called to 99,799 Code One emergencies.
“This was also the third quarter in a row close to or above 100,000 cases.
“In the face of this sustained pressure, our highly skilled paramedics and first responders do a remarkable job providing best care to their communities, each and every day.”
From October to December 2024, AV crews across Victoria responded to 64.9 per cent of Code One cases within the state-wide target of 15 minutes.
The state-wide average response time to Code One emergencies was 15 minutes and 42 seconds.
In the Barwon South West Region crews responded to 7230 Code One cases between October and December 2024.
In the Barwon South West Region, the biggest improvements were in the Queenscliffe, Colac-Otway and Corangamite local government areas (LGA) and the major town centre of Portland.
As a result, paramedics are arriving one minute and 36 seconds faster.
Compared with a year earlier, Code One response times decreased by 47 seconds in the Colac-Otway LGA and two minutes and 12 seconds in the Corangamite LGA.
In the Warrnambool LGA, paramedics attended 84.5 per cent of Code One patients within 15 minutes – which was the best result in the state.
Barwon South West regional director Ian Hunt said AV knew there was more work to do to improve response times.
“AV continues to work with hospitals to promptly transfer patients and ensure all Victorians receive the right care at the right time,” he said.
“More new paramedics have also hit the road to help meet demand – since last November, we have welcomed 84 new graduate paramedics to our ranks and a further 15 new recruits will start soon including qualified paramedics from New South Wales, Queensland, the Northern Territory and New Zealand.
“Our people are our greatest assets. It is through them that we continue to lead the way in patient care including one of the best cardiac arrest survival rates in the world.
“We are also giving them the latest technology they need to do their job and get back on the road quicker.
“In 2025, we are rolling out new digital radios across regional Victoria and iPads to all our crews with a modern platform making it easier and faster to complete electronic patient care records.”
Mr Hunt said AV’s secondary triage team of nurses and paramedics played a role in connecting patients with the care they need while helping to free up ambulances for patients in time-critical emergencies.
“From October to December, 43,864 people across Victoria who did not need an emergency ambulance were instead connected to more appropriate care by paramedics and nurses in Secondary Triage,” he said.
“In 2023-24, paramedics referred nearly 43,000 patients to the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department (VVED), with over three quarters cared for without transport to a physical emergency department.
“And our Medium Acuity Transport Service (MATS) crews dedicated for less-urgent calls attended 8100 cases during the last quarter, freeing up more ambulances to respond to the most critically ill patients.”
Mr Hunt encouraged Victorians to do their part to ensure AV’s highly skilled paramedics were available for patients most in need.
“In less urgent cases, there are many options people can access when they need timely medical care and health advice all day every day – but not an emergency ambulance or calling Triple Zero (000),” he said.
“This includes the VVED, Urgent Care Clinics and other options such as your general practitioner or pharmacist, or Nurse-On-Call on 1300 60 60 24.”
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