By Alana Mitchelson
THE State Government will deliver a new ambulance service to Lang Lang to speed up response times for emergencies in southern parts of Cardinia shire.
This is part of a $500 million investment over five years to employ 450 additional paramedics, buy new vehicles and equipment, and build more ambulance branches across the state.
The Lang Lang service will be based on a successful model trialled in Wedderburn and Warracknabeal this year, featuring a paramedic community support co-ordinator who also provides training and supervision to local volunteer teams.
Ambulance Victoria Gippsland regional director Simon Jemmett said the additional resources would build on the significant reforms over the past two years towards improving ambulance response times.
“We are pleased that our local communities will benefit from this investment and look forward to the additional resource which will support Lang Lang among other communities,” Mr Jemmett said.
“The paramedic community support co-ordinator (PCSC) model operates in other areas of the state and is showing an increased ability to provide services in the community. For example, in Wedderburn-Boort where the position is in its stages, the PCSC has already responded to serious cases in the community and has provided direct training and support to the emergency first responders.
“We know that a PCSC will have a similarly positive impact for patients in Lang Lang, Venus Bay and Neerim South.”
Ambulances are now arriving at 76.6 per cent of Code 1 incidents within 15 minutes.
Minister for Ambulance Services Jill Hennessy said this funding package marked the largest investment in Victoria’s history aimed at improving ambulance response times.
“Response times are the best they have been in five years, but there’s still more work to do,” Ms Hennessy said.
“Now we have the system working better, it’s time to invest in new branches and paramedics on the road.”
The funding package will support the build or upgrade of 15 branches, creation of a total 12 new services, establishment of six ‘super response centres’ supported by more than 200 paramedics in Melbourne including the outer south-east, and treatment of more patients in emergency departments sooner with a $50 million boost to hire more clinicians and open more beds.
The new service will commence in 2018.
