New emergency health standards will be introduced into Victoria’s health system in an effort to deliver faster care, supporting staff in busy emergency departments, and get ambulances back on the road sooner.
The Standards for Safe and Timely Ambulance and Emergency Care for Victorians will be rolled out across all emergency departments in 2025 to support the faster handover of patients arriving via ambulance.
The new standards were formed following consultation with clinicians, health services, Ambulance Victoria, unions, peak bodies and Safer Care Victoria, to help improve patient flow and reduce pressure on the state’s health workforce.
It’s hoped this will be achieved through measures such as quicker inpatient admissions, earlier discharges, improved patient transfer procedures and redirecting some patients to alternative care settings.
Some hospitals have already implemented the new standards which will now be phased into hospitals statewide.
“While our ambulance and ED wait times are heading in the right direction – thanks to our hardworking healthcare workers – we know there is more to do which is why these new standards are so important,” said Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas in announcing the new standards on Tuesday.
“Despite significant and sustained demand, our hardworking doctors, nurses and ambos are making sure patients continue to receive world-class healthcare – and these new handover standards will help deliver that care even sooner.”
For more information: health.vic.gov.au/patient-care/standards-for-safe-and-timely-ambulance-and-emergency-care-for-victorians.
