The Victorian Government is boosting the number of Ambulance Victoria services on the road, ensuring Victorians get the best care.
This week a new Medium Acuity Transport Service hit the road helping Victorians and providing critical care when they need it most.
The new service is providing world class care for Code 2 and 3 patients with 22 vehicles and 165 dedicated staff, freeing valuable resources up to respond to the most urgent and time-critical emergency cases.
The service is partnering new paramedic recruits with experienced paramedics, providing an opportunity for senior paramedics to impart valuable knowledge gained through years of experience to their new colleagues.
This new approach not only creates new jobs but also creates new pathways for experienced staff whose vital skills may otherwise have been lost to the workforce.
Up to 15 new crews are operating each day covering the Casey, Greater Dandenong, Hume, Knox, Kingston, Maroondah, Mornington Peninsula and Wyndham local government areas.
The new initiative will also bolster resources in regional Victoria, with an additional seven regional crews expected from November.
The new Medium Acuity Transport Service is the first stage of a $266 million Government investment in the Victorian Budget 2021/22 to improve patient care and drive down response times.
This investment will also deliver expanded secondary triage services and new paramedics and additional support staff to help their hardworking colleagues
An additional $204 million investment is bolstering Ambulance Victoria’s resources through programs like Telehealth, and will deliver ongoing operational improvements across the state.
This investment builds on the more than 250 paramedics already recruited by Ambulance Victoria since November 2020 and the more than $1 billion the Government has provided to Ambulance Victoria since 2014.
As stated by Minister for Ambulance Services Martin Foley
“The pandemic has had a lasting impact, and right across Australia we’re seeing more ambulance callouts – this new service will ensure Victorians continues to have access to the world‑class care they deserve.”
“Our paramedics are some of the hardest working in the country and this investment reinforces that we will always back them – and the extraordinary work they do.”
“We’re creating jobs while boosting the paramedic workforce to ensure Victorians receive world class care when they’re needed most – protecting our health system and saving lives.”
