New data has shown October-December 2021 period was the busiest quarter on record for paramedics in Victoria, as the pandemic continued to put pressure on the healthcare system.
Ambulances were called to 91,397 Code 1 cases — that is, time-critical events — in the period, an increase of more than 16 per cent compared to the same time in 2020.
It is the most such cases ever recorded by Ambulance Victoria.
However, in the same time, just over 45,000 Triple Zero callers did not need emergency care, leading to Ambulance Victoria CEO Professor Tony Walker asking Victorians to not call 000 unless it is an emergency.
“Every call for assistance that isn’t an emergency puts significant strain on our crews to reach those who need us the most,” he said.
