Paramedics Smashed Locally in Record-Breaking Quarter

 

 

New data has painted a bleak picture of the intense pressure faced by local paramedics. 

 

Across Greater Bendigo between October and December 2022, paramedics responded to Code 1 incidents between 15 to 20 minutes. 

 

Meanwhile, in the Loddon, times were pushed out to 25 to 30 minutes. 

 

Those figures compare to response times of 10 to 15 minutes in both Geelong and Ballarat.

 

Code 1 incidents require urgent paramedic and hospital care. 

 

Ambulance Victoria Loddon Mallee Regional Director Trevor Weston said ambulance responses for the second quarter of 2022/23 were impacted by “continuing growth in demand, sicker patients, and staff furloughing due to COVID-19”.

 

Meanwhile, across the state, paramedics responded to more than 100,000 sick people in a three-month period for the first time ever.