Cade Lucas
Paramedics responding to Code 1 cases in Wyndham are arriving more than two and a half minutes faster than a year ago according to the latest figures released by Ambulance Victoria.
Ambulance Victoria’s performance results for October to December 2023, showed the average response time for Code 1 “lights and sirens” cases in Wyndham was 14.05 minutes, down from 16.36 minutes for the same period in 2022.
The 2.31 minute improvement puts the average response time for Code 1 cases in Wyndham almost a minute below the 15 minute target time.
Metropolitan Regional Director Michael Georgiou said the statewide average response time to Code 1 cases was also now under 15 minutes, the first time in two years this ahd been achieved.
“While there is more work ahead of us, it is encouraging our response to Code 1 emergencies improved a full minute and 46 seconds across Victoria compared to a year ago,” Mr Georgiou said.
“The Productivity Commission’s recent Report on Government Services shows Victoria has Australia’s most trusted paramedics and leads the nation in cardiac arrest survival and pain management. Our dedicated paramedics and first responders are to be commended for the outstanding care they deliver to communities across the state.”
The percentage of ambulances arriving in Wyndham within the 15 minute target time also improved, rising to 71.4 per cent, almost 12 per cent better than the previous year.
The improvements are all the more impressive given they were achieved at a time of increased demand, with 3374 Code 1 call outs to the municipality, compared to 3352 for December 2022.
Response times for Code 2 cases, those considered acute but not requiring lights and sirens, improved as well, with Wyndham’s recording an average time of 36 minutes, compared to 47 minutes a year earlier.
Overall, the last quarter of 2023 was Ambulance Victoria’s busiest on record, with 154,267 emergency cases, including 99,833 Code 1 cases – the second most on record.
Wyndham accounted for 3.38% of the state’s total ambulance workload, one of the top five local government areas in Victoria.
