The Premier John Brumby today unveiled a major new plan to deploy 297 additional paramedics to regional and rural Victoria, with 234 paramedics to be on the ground in the next 12 months.
At Woodend ambulance station with Health Minister Daniel Andrews, Mr Brumby outlined a new $56 million package to provide regional and rural Victorians with even better access to ambulance services, including more than doubling the number of dedicated MICA crews in regional areas.
The package, which Ambulance Victoria will begin rolling out from tomorrow, sets out a new plan to increase the number of paramedics, boost ambulance resources and provides new incentives for young people to become paramedics in regional and rural Victoria.
It includes:
- 10 new MICA single-responder units with 48 new MICA paramedics dedicated to work in regional and rural Victoria;
- 40 scholarships for students who want to become paramedics in regional and rural Victoria;
- Eight dedicated non-emergency patient transfer crews staffed by 32 non-emergency transfer patient transport officers to cut-down the number of non-emergency transports undertaken by paramedics by 10 per cent and increase capacity of paramedics to respond to emergency call-outs by an estimated 12,000 hours; and
- A new regional and rural call referral service.
“The Victorian Government is taking action to deliver the highest quality ambulance services to communities across regional and rural Victoria,” Mr Brumby said.
“That’s why we are investing in the largest single deployment of paramedics into rural and regional communities in the state’s history, providing a 30 per cent boost to the paramedic workforce in our regions.
“And that’s why we are delivering extra funding to establish 10 new MICA single responder units in regional and rural Victoria and an additional 48 MICA paramedics.
“This means that each year, an additional 10,000 regional Victorians will receive their care from a MICA paramedic in a life-threatening medical emergency.”
The 10 new MICA single responder units will be based in Bairnsdale, Echuca, Horsham, Swan Hill, Mildura, Wodonga, Shepparton, Wangaratta, Warrnambool and Wonthaggi.
MICA paramedics provide the highest level of clinical care and emergency response. There are currently eight dedicated MICA response units operating in Bendigo, Ballarat, Morwell and Geelong.
Mr Brumby said that continuing record support from the Government would enable Ambulance Victoria to recruit 200 paramedics in 2010/2011 to work in regional and rural communities.
“This intake of paramedics will give the existing workforce further support to respond to the increasing number of call-outs each year and represents $100 million in expenditure on salaries and training over the next four years,” he said.
Mr Andrews said the eight dedicated non-emergency patient transfer crews would be staffed by 32 non-emergency transfer patient officers.
“These crews will reduce the number of non-emergency transports undertaken by paramedics and significantly increase their availability to respond to emergency call outs,” Mr Andrews said.
Mr Andrews said the latest investment would also introduce a new regional and rural call referral service where ambulance callers who do not require an emergency ambulance could be referred to an alternative health service.
“Last year the referral service in Melbourne had more than 24,000 calls redirected to other more appropriate health services, meaning emergency ambulances were available to respond to other emergencies,” he said.
Mr Andrews said the Brumby Labor Government would also deliver 40 scholarships for students who want to become paramedics in rural and regional Victoria.
“Our government has more than tripled the funding for our ambulance services and doubled the number of paramedics providing care to Victorians,” he said.
“There are now over 2600 paramedics providing care to Victorians, with more than 1000 in rural and regional Victoria.
“In 1999 there were just over 500 paramedics in rural and regional communities and with this boost there will over 1300 paramedics in our regions.
“Our government has invested in 100 new and upgraded services across the State, with 58 in regional and rural Victoria.
“This latest boost builds on the 2008/09 State Budget which delivered a massive $185.7 million investment into ambulance services across Victoria, including 2 new air ambulance helicopters and 258 extra paramedics.”
The boost to regional and rural ambulance services outlines:
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AREA
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TOTAL
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Barwon South West
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41 paramedics including 6 MICA paramedics
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Gippsland
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56 paramedics including 9 MICA paramedics
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Grampians
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27 paramedics including 3 MICA paramedics
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Hume
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66 paramedics including 18 MICA paramedics
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Loddon Mallee
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58 paramedics including 12 MICA paramedics
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Rural call referral service
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9 paramedics
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Scholarships
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40 paramedics
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Total
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297 paramedics
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Non emergency patient transport officers
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32
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