Ambulances arrived at the scene of emergencies on average more than two minutes quicker in the March quarter than at the height of the ambulance crisis under the former Liberal Government, new data shows.

Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Jenny Mikakos today released the March quarter of the Victorian Health and Human Services and Ambulance Victoria Performance Data, which show Code 1 ambulances arrived two minutes and 50 seconds quicker than the Liberals’ final March quarter.

State-wide results show 84.2 per cent of ambulances arrived within the benchmark 15 minutes – an improvement on 83 per cent a year prior. In 2014 when the Liberals were in power, only 73.2 per cent arrived within 15 minutes – and ambulance response times blew out to the worst on the mainland.

Ballarat City’s times continue to improve, with ambulances arriving in an average 10 minutes and 15 seconds, an improvement on the 10:55 arrival time a year prior, and 89.9 per cent of Ballarat’s Code 1 ambulances arrived within 15 minutes, more than the 87 per cent a year prior.

Ambulances are also turning out to more emergencies. Some 72,318 Code 1 callouts were made for the quarter – 5705 more compared with the same period 12 months prior, and the third highest recorded since Ambulance Victoria’s clinical response model reforms, which free up ambulances for emergencies.

Ambulances arrived at emergencies within an average 11:04 minutes in the three months to the end of March, up from 11:23 a year prior.

In Ballarat City, ambulances responded to 1503 Code 1 calls, up on the 1292 call-outs in the March quarter 2018.

The improvements are thanks to the Andrews Labor Government’s $500 million investment in ambulance services, including an additional 450 paramedics, extra vehicles, new resources and new and upgraded ambulance branches.

Our dedicated paramedics provide life-saving treatment to those who need it most when an emergency strikes. They deserve our support so they can do what they do best.

The quarterly data also shows our public health services are providing world-class care, despite Canberra’s $305 million claw back from Victoria’s hospitals – cuts that are hurting patients, nurses and doctors across the state.

Our hospitals did 689 more elective surgeries in the March quarter than they did a year prior and treated 89.6 per cent of all elective surgery patients within their benchmark times – up by 1.2 per cent, and the best March quarter result on record.

Ballarat Hospital reduced its elective surgery waiting list by 89 patients, down from 1123 in the March quarter last year.

More than half of Ballarat’s Category 1 urgent elective patients were treated within 14 days – a day faster than a year prior, and well under the benchmark target of 30 days.

Quote attributable to Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Jenny Mikakos

“We can thank our local hard-working paramedics, doctors, nurses and other health professionals for continuing to improve our health and emergency services.”

Quote attributable to Member for Buninyong Michaela Settle

“Our local ambulance services are transporting more urgent cases and our hospitals are treating more patients despite Canberra’s cuts – cuts that are hurting patients, nurses and doctors across the state.”

Quote attributable to Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison

“Under the Liberals, lives were at risk because ambulances weren’t arriving at critical emergencies fast enough – we’ve fixed their mess.”