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AAP
AAP
Health
Rachael Ward

Ambulance code one response times still below target

The latest performance of ambulance responses times in Victoria have been detailed in a report. (Luis Ascui/AAP PHOTOS)

Ambulance response times for serious emergencies are still below target while more than a third of patients were not happy with how long it took for help to arrive.

Some 62.8 per cent of time-critical code one cases were reached within 15 minutes which is below the target of 85 per cent, according to Ambulance Victoria's 2022-23 annual report tabled in parliament on Thursday.

The organisation's executives said performance was affected by a 6.2 per cent increase in code one call outs.

They also pointed out help arrived on time for the most serious priority zero cases 74.4 per cent of the time.

Chair Shelly Park and chief executive Jane Miller said the organisation was working to improve ambulance availability across the state and demand for the service had increased significantly since October 2022.

"It is crucial for us to remember that (Ambulance Victoria) is measured by more than our response times," they wrote in the report.

"We are a multifaceted organisation that plays a vital role in the  community.

"We continue to meet or exceed all our patient quality and care measures, leading to better outcomes in the survival and quality of life for heart attack, stroke and trauma patients."

A survey of patients who used Ambulance Victoria services found just under two thirds of respondents were satisfied with how long it took for an ambulance to arrive but there was a high level of satisfaction with overall experience.

The 79-page report also revealed the organisation paid more than $2 million to consultancy firms over the financial year, including $726,000 to PwC and $517,000 to Deloitte.

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