A parliamentary inquiry into the performance, workplace culture, and procurement practices of Ambulance Victoria is now seeking submissions from the public, with both employees and patients encouraged to contribute.
The Legislative Council Legal and Social Issues Committee will inquire into issues involved with call taking, dispatch, ambulance ramping, working conditions and workloads of paramedics, allegations of fraud and embezzlement, governance and accountability and the general workplace culture within Ambulance Victoria.
The Nationals’ Member for Euroa, Annabelle Cleeland, encouraged anyone that has experience with Ambulance Victoria to have their say.
“This inquiry is a fantastic opportunity for people to share their stories about our ambulance system, whether it be paramedics that are concerned with their working conditions or patients that have had a bad experience,” Ms Cleeland said.
“Having heard from both paramedics and patients in our region, it has been made abundantly clear that something has to change.
“Some of the more frequent concerns brought to my attention include slow ambulance response times, ramping outside our hospitals’ emergency departments, a lack of clinical oversight, late dispatching, and ongoing delays when it comes to answering calls.
“I’m pleased that despite Labor’s objections, the Upper House of the Victorian Parliament supported this important inquiry and there is the possibility of change on the horizon.”
The inquiry follows ongoing calls from Ms Cleeland to establish a dedicated MICA unit in the region after paramedics used their industrial protection to share harrowing stories of delayed responses for critical incidents.
The most recent Ambulance Victoria data indicates alarming shortcomings when it comes to response times for code 1 emergencies across the region (the most serious and urgent cases).
Ambulance Victoria’s official response time targets are that 85 per cent of code 1 emergencies are responded to within 15 minutes
However, in Benalla just 57 per cent of ambulances responded within this time, in the Mitchell Shire only 51 per cent of ambulances reached the target, the Campaspe Shire saw just 58 per cent arrive within the target time, and in the Strathbogie Shire just 31.8 per cent of ambulances arrived within 15 minutes for an average wait of over 23 minutes.
The full terms of reference for the inquiry are available on the committee’s website, including information on how to sign up to email alerts and to find out how to make a submission.
Submissions will close on the 28th of February, 2025 with public hearings to be scheduled once submissions are closed.
