Victorians will receive faster and better emergency care wherever they are, with more paramedics, more ambulances and better branches and equipment across our state.
Under the Victorian Budget 2017/18, $26.5 million will go to our ambulance service, building on the Andrews Labor Government’s record $500 million plan to improve ambulance response times.
This $500 million package – the biggest ever investment in ambulance services, which was brought forward by the Government to help end the ambulance crisis – will employ 450 more paramedics, buy new vehicles and build new ambulance stations across the state.
Already, as a result of this investment, an additional 127 full-time equivalent, highly-skilled paramedics are now trained up and on the road, ready to respond to life-threatening emergencies and save lives.
The funding in the Budget will continue our work to rebuild our ambulance service after four years of crisis and neglect under the Liberals, and improve response times to meet the needs of our growing population.
Emergency helicopter services will also receive a boost as part of this funding, so that in a life threatening situation, our air ambulances will be available, when and where Victorians need them.
And our work is making a difference. After two years of investing in and reforming our ambulance service, more ambulances are arriving at emergencies sooner. For the first time since 2010, Ambulance Victoria is now responding to 80 per cent of Code One cases within the 15 minute target.
We’re also ensuring our paramedics, doctors, nurses and hospitals will have the right support if another occurrence of thunderstorm asthma strikes, with $15.56 million in the Budget to ensure we are better able to predict and respond to unprecedented weather events.
The funding will support:
- Emergency management training for hospitals and health workers
- Education and engagement campaigns to assist communities to prepare for and respond to epidemic thunderstorm asthma
- More research to improve our understanding and treatment of thunderstorm asthma
- Increased monitoring and interpretation of pollen data
- Research to inform forecasting, modelling and response protocols
- Improved real-time monitoring of data sources, including emergency department demand
Quotes attributable to the Minister for Health Jill Hennessy
“It’s simple – more paramedics and more ambulances on the road mean we can save more lives.”
“Right across the state, families can have confidence that in an emergency they’ll get the life-saving care they need, when and where they need it.”
“We’re putting in place the right systems and training, so that if another thunderstorm asthma event happens, we’re as ready as we possibly can be.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020