Wednesday, 18 June 2025

 Mary-Anne THOMAS (Macedon – Leader of the House, Minister for Health, Minister for Ambulance Services) (14:30): I am very pleased to rise to update the house on how our government is expanding the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department, which I was just talking about. Can I say for the benefit of those opposite, and in particular Mrs Hermans in the other place, I can confirm not only that we deliver virtual emergency care in the state of Victoria but that the virtual ED is the busiest emergency department in the state. While that is news to some, it is not new. In fact the virtual emergency department has been supported by our government since 2020 and has seen half a million people in that time – people like Emily, a mum of three who I had the privilege of meeting. She uses the VVED when her little ones are struck down with childhood illnesses like asthma and gastro, and she can receive the care that she needs from the comfort of her own home.

Of course we want more Victorians to be able to receive this care. That is why we have invested in the virtual emergency department in order to triple the number of patients who will be able to receive that care. This will in turn, member for Warrandyte, drive down the number of people that need to come to our physical emergency departments. Eighty-three per cent of patients who have been seen by the VVED have told us that they would otherwise have gone to a physical emergency department, while around 79 per cent of those who are referred by a paramedic end up receiving the care that they need, once again, in their own home.

Victorians remember Matthew Guy – he is not here, unfortunately, the member – for his fake ambulances and dangerous 000 policy.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! I remind members to use correct titles.