Ambulances are responding faster to life-threatening emergencies in the City of Greater Geelong, while elective surgery waiting lists are at record lows.
The latest performance data released today shows the Andrews Labor Government’s major health funding boosts and reforms to Victoria’s ambulance system are delivering big benefits to Geelong patients when they need it most.
For University Hospital Geelong, the data shows the hospital:
- Reduced the number of patients on the elective surgery waiting list – from 1451 at the end of the March quarter to 999 at the end of June.
- Admitted 2326 patients from the elective surgery waiting list for the June quarter – an extra 333 admissions compared with three months earlier.
- Provided elective surgery to 100 per cent of Category One urgent patients within the benchmark 30 days – and half within ten days.
- Provided elective surgery to 89 per cent of Category Two semi-urgent patients within the benchmark 90 days in the June quarter – up by eight per cent on the previous three months.
Across the state, 83.8 per cent of all Code One urgent ambulances are arriving at emergencies within 15 minutes, at an average 11:12 minutes of being called out – that’s 38 seconds faster than the same quarter one year prior and 2:41 minutes under the Liberals.
In the City of Greater Geelong, we are seeing more improvement, with 87.4 per cent of ambulances now arriving within 15 minutes for Code One emergencies, up from 82.1 per cent a year earlier.
The average time for an ambulance to reach the scene of a Code One emergency in Greater Geelong over the same period has improved from 11:36 minutes to 10:48 minutes.
The statewide data also shows 86.7 per cent of patients arriving by ambulance were transferred into hospital care within 40 minutes – up from 85.1 per cent the previous quarter. More than half were handed into the care of doctors and nurses within 19 minutes.
Victoria’s elective surgery waiting lists at June 30 had dropped to 36,096 patients – that’s the lowest number on record, and a major improvement from the 50,054 waiting for surgery when the Liberals were in power.
Under the Liberals, only 79.2 per cent of patients received their surgery in the recommended time, but that number has increased to 90.2 per cent.
The results are thanks to the Labor Government’s record investments, which have seen hospitals receive multi-million-dollar boosts, more paramedics join the front line, more ambulances hit the road and more ambulance stations where they’re needed.
They stand in stark contrast to the former Liberal Government – who went to war with our paramedics and slashed $1 billion from our health system, leaving patients waiting too long for life-saving care and languishing on waiting lists.
Quote attributable to Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Jill Hennessy
“Elective surgery waiting lists broke the 50,000 barrier under the Liberals and our ambulance system was in crisis. Now our hospitals and our ambulance service are performing better than ever before.”
Quote attributable to Member for Geelong Christine Couzens
“This is great news for Geelong patients. Ambulances are arriving faster at emergencies and hospitals are better equipped to give patients the high-quality care that they deserve.”
Quote attributable to Member for Bellarine Lisa Neville
“Our paramedics do such a great job providing us the urgent care we need when disaster strikes. We’re so thankful for everything they do.”
Quote attributable to Member for Lara John Eren
“This is Labor getting it done for Geelong. It means world-class care is on its way sooner when patients need it most.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020