John Brumby - More Paramedics, More Stations

Paramedics are the best in Australia and we are committed to ensuring they continue to have the resources and support needed to respond to the record demand of callouts and emergency cases.

"These extra 105 paramedics will build on the more than 1200 additional paramedics we've already put in place.

"We will deliver 16 new or upgraded ambulance services in Melbourne's growth corridors, including three new 24 hour ambulance branches, and upgrading six services to ensure all existing ambulance branches in the metropolitan region provide 24 hour coverage.

"We will also provide seven new peak period units in parts of Melbourne that will operate during the busiest times of the day."

The package includes:
• 105 additional paramedics for the outer suburbs;
• Ten additional services including:
o new 24 hour ambulance branches in Endeavour Hills, Mount Eliza and Lysterfield,
o new peak period units in Somerville and Mount Martha, and;
o additional peak period units in Rosebud, Cranbourne, Sunbury, Melton and Pakenham; and
• Upgrades to six ambulances services to provide 24 hour coverage to communities in Werribee, Healesville, Craigieburn, Sorrento, Emerald and Yarra Junction.

Mr Andrews said in an Australian first, the Government would be investing $16.4 million to trial ED response teams as part of the package.

"The package will deliver 34 additional nurses in 14 key metropolitan emergency departments during periods of high demand," Mr Andrews said.

"As part of a four-year trial, these additional nurses will specifically work during busy periods, to triage and transfer patients arriving by ambulances at metropolitan emergency departments.

"This will help paramedics to more quickly handover their patients at hospital emergency departments.

"It means that paramedics can spend less time at hospital emergency departments, and will be more available to respond to emergency callouts.

"This new model of care will improve the transfer of patients arriving by ambulance to emergency departments and will mean ambulance crews and emergency department staff can better coordinate care and improve patient outcomes."

The Victorian Government will work with health services, Ambulance Victoria, paramedics, emergency department staff and the relevant unions to implement and evaluate this trial.

Mr Andrews said the Government had already made strong investments to ease the pressure record demand was having across the system.

"We've opened an additional 102 sub-acute beds to meet winter demand, and recently secured more than $900 million in extra funding from the Commonwealth," he said.

"Through this funding, we have already announced a range of projects that will deliver 334 beds."

Mr Brumby said today's funding boost would build on the recent $56 million investment to ambulance services that would provide regional and rural Victorians with even better access to ambulance services.

"That boost to AV is delivering an additional 297 additional paramedics, with 234 to commence operation in the next year," he said.

"We have already more than tripled the funding for our ambulance services, invested in over 100 new or upgraded services and provided an over 1200 extra operational paramedics.

"In 2009/10 there were 2560 paramedics and with our recent regional and metropolitan ambulance packages, there will be an additional 400 paramedics working in communities throughout Victoria."

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