THE Southern Grampians Local Government Area (LGA) experienced its busiest first quarter on record for the 2022/23 financial year, with 247 Code 1 incidents recorded from July 1 to September 30, 2022, according to the Ambulance Victoria (AV) response time data.

The Southern Grampians LGA saw a 43.6 per cent increase in Code 1 caseload from the same time last year - meaning incidents that require urgent paramedic and hospital care.

Paramedics attended 64 per cent of Code 1 cases within the statewide average target of 15 minutes during the last quarter, an improvement compared with 58.7 per cent at the same time last year.

The total number of Code 1 first responses in Hamilton also increased in the last quarter to 175, compared with 152 in the previous quarter.

For Hamilton, the average response time improved from July 1 to September 30, 2022, to be 11 minutes and 13 seconds, down from 11 minutes and 32 seconds in the previous quarter from April 1 to June 30.

Overall, the average response time to Code 1 patients in the Southern Grampians LGA improved to be 15 minutes and 23 seconds, compared with 18 minutes and 02 seconds in the same period last year.

Ambulance Victoria Barwon South West regional director, Terry Marshall said it was the busiest winter on record for paramedics with demand for ambulance services at record levels due to the continued impacts of COVID-19 and the flu.

“July to September was our busiest first quarter on record, and the second-busiest quarter ever,” he said.

“Together with the previous quarter, this was by far the busiest and most challenging winter ever.

“Our paramedics and first responders worked tirelessly to keep delivering world class care.”

The number of Code 2 incidents in Hamilton – meaning incidents that are acute and time sensitive, but do not require a lights and sirens response – remained at 121 in the first quarter of 2022/23, the same figure as the last quarter of 2021/22.

While the total number of first responses was the same, the average response time increased from 32 minutes and 48 seconds in the previous quarter, to be 37 minutes and 19 seconds.

The Southern Grampians LGA also saw an increase in average response time to Code 2 cases with July 1 to September 30 recording 41 minutes and 35 seconds, while April 1 to June 30 recorded 35 minutes and 47 seconds.

Mr Marshall said before the COVID-19 pandemic, AV recorded its best-ever response performance of 83.9 per cent of Code 1 cases responded to within 15 minutes, however, paramedics had been responding to unprecedented demand since that milestone was achieved.

“We’re working hard to relieve pressure across the health system with more paramedics on the road, more resources at 14 hospitals statewide to help offload patients faster, and our MATS (medium acuity transport service) crews providing high quality care to less-urgent cases,” he said.

To help meet record demand, Mr Marshall said AV recruited 700 paramedics in 2021 – its single largest annual recruitment ever – with more recruiting taking place this year.

“Our record recruiting continues in 2022, with 567 new recruits already joining our ranks so far this year, which includes 49 more paramedics across the Barwon South West region,” he said.

“Meanwhile, the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department (VVED) continues to help us avoid unnecessary trips to our busy hospitals and treat thousands of patients safely in their own homes.”

From July to September, 7690 people were referred by AV crews to the VVED with 76 per cent not requiring transport to hospital.

Across the state, ambulances were called to 94,592 Code 1 cases from July 1 to September 30, a drop of 3335 Code 1 cases from the previous quarter, but a massive 17.6 per cent or 14,132 more ‘lights and sirens’ cases compared to this time last year.

For the quarter, paramedics responded to 64.3 per cent of Code 1 cases within the statewide average target of 15 minutes, improving from 64 per cent in the previous quarter.

During the quarter, an average of 132 staff were furloughed everyday across the state due to COVID-19, with a peak of 305 staff furloughed on July 23 and dropping to 31 staff by the end of September.

Ambulance Victoria executive director of clinical operations, Anthony Carlyon said paramedics remain very busy attending 1800 to 2000 cases a day and reinforced that people should continue to save Triple Zero (000) for emergencies only.

“From July to September 39,627 callers to Triple Zero (000) did not need an emergency ambulance and were instead connected by paramedics and nurses in our Secondary Triage team to more appropriate care,” he said.

“That results in 500 or more cases every day being safely matched to services that better suit their needs while also avoiding emergency dispatch.

“While ambulances are always provided to patients when required, about one in five calls to Triple Zero (000) do not need an emergency ambulance response.”