Health system
Mr SOUTHWICK (Caulfield) (14:07): My question is to the Minister for Ambulance Services. Minister, could you explain why 15 ambulances yesterday were ramped at Monash hospital? Fifteen ambulances yesterday afternoon—why were they ramped at Monash hospital?
Ms THOMAS (Macedon—Minister for Health, Minister for Ambulance Services) (14:08): I welcome the question. I want to take this opportunity to thank our paramedics for the extraordinary effort that they have made over the very difficult period of 2½ years while we lived through—and indeed continue to experience—the impacts of the pandemic. Of course what we have seen throughout the paramedic has been an increase in the number of ambulance call-outs, and indeed the very last quarter was the busiest quarter ever experienced by Ambulance Victoria in this state. As a consequence of that, we have seen real pressure on our emergency departments. But it is actually at the back end of the hospital where the real pressure is. What we have is a consequence of inaction by the previous federal Liberal government on NDIS and the fact that they oversaw the complete failure of private aged care in this nation. Private aged care is a disgrace, and it is because of the previous federal Liberal government’s failure to invest that we have a bed block issue in our hospitals. Thankfully we now have a federal Labor government that is willing to face into some of these challenges and address the challenges that are being felt in our hospital and healthcare system. This is how we will ensure that ambulances can off-load their patients and get back on the road.
Mr SOUTHWICK (Caulfield) (14:10): With reports just two months ago from the Medical Journal of Australia that patients ramped for more than 17 minutes sustain an increase in the chances of their condition worsening or losing their life, I ask: how many patients now have an increased risk of more serious illness or even death due to being ramped in an ambulance?
Ms THOMAS (Macedon—Minister for Health, Minister for Ambulance Services) (14:10): I want to make this point for the benefit of the member for Caulfield: the most urgent patients continue to be seen on arrival at emergency departments, with 100 per cent of category 1 patients being treated immediately. These are the sickest patients who will always get priority care through our health system. Again I take this opportunity to thank the paramedics and thank the emergency department teams that are doing all this work. Once again, here in Victoria our government listens to our healthcare workforce. We take on board their great ideas, like the Victorian virtual emergency department, which was born out at Northern Hospital and is now being expanded around the state, ensuring once again that more paramedics are available on the road to respond to those 000 calls. Similarly, our ambulance off-load— (Time expired)