AMBULANCE Victoria is calling on the community to save Triple Zero (000) for emergencies, after its latest response time data revealed paramedics were receiving more calls for assistance since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Ambulance Victoria’s response time data from October to December 2020 showed paramedics had responded to 184 ‘Code 2’ calls for assistance, where lights and sirens weren’t needed, in the Southern Grampians.

The figure was almost 15 per cent more than Ambulance Victoria responded to locally over the same period the year before.

Ambulance Victoria clinical operations director, Mick Stephenson said the service had seen an increase in calls for assistance that were not for emergencies.

“Following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, hospitals and healthcare services throughout Australia are experiencing an increase in patient demand,” he said.

“Ambulance Victoria is no exception and cared for more patients in the past three months – October to December 2020 – than during the same period in 2019.

Subscribe for full story.