News

Health | September 04, 2018

Labor’s ambulance reforms fail western Victorians

The Nationals Member for Lowan and Shadow Minister for Country Health, Emma Kealy MP says despite improved ambulance response time claims by Daniel Andrews, response time targets are not being met in any of the nine municipalities across the Lowan electorate.

The Andrews Labor Government has set a target of responding to 85% of Code One callouts within 15 minutes. Code One callouts are patients requiring urgent paramedic and hospital care and a ‘lights and sirens’ response.

Statistics released by Ambulance Victoria for April – June 2018 show none of the nine municipalities in Lowan achieved Labor’s target, with the percentage of responses taking longer than 15 minutes increasing in the Glenelg, Horsham, Moyne, Northern Grampians and West Wimmera Local Government Areas.

The Moyne, West Wimmera and Yarriambiack LGAs remain amongst the slowest in the State for Code One callouts with an average response time of 20.20, 25.21 and 20.57 minutes respectively.

“The Andrews Labor Government is claiming their reforms are delivering record ambulance response time results for Victorians yet their own target is not being met in any of our LGAs with many having average response times well above the State target,” Ms Kealy said.

“It doesn’t matter where you live, every minute counts when you need an ambulance.

“Our paramedics and ambulance community officers are working exceptionally hard and doing their very best in challenging circumstances.

“But western Victorian residents are not experiencing the same improvements in ambulance services as those in inner Melbourne and major regional centres and continue to be forgotten by Daniel Andrews.

“Residents in the Lowan electorate will have a clear choice in November between Daniel Andrews all talk no action approach or The Nationals who are committed to delivering a better deal for regional Victoria,” she said.