AMBULANCE
response times in Whittlesea have failed a statewide target of 15 minutes, according to Yan Yean MLA Danielle Green.
Ms Green said documents obtained under Freedom
of Information revealed the average response time for vehicles from the Ambulance Victoria
Whittlesea branch had stretched out to an average of 16 minutes and 16
seconds last financial year.
She said this was one minute and 21 seconds
longer than the Whittlesea response time in 2009-10.‘‘Every minute counts
when it comes to ambulance response times,’’ Ms
Green said.
‘‘We know that the speed in which a patient reaches hospital
can affect a patient’s chances of recovery.’’
She said although response times for
ambulances from the Epping and South Morang branches were below the state
target, they had increased from the previous year.
She said Epping ambulance
response times were 13 minutes and 28 seconds last financial year, up by one
minute and 48 seconds, while South Morang response times were 12 minutes and six
seconds, up one minute and 36 seconds.
