ACT ambulance response times ‘quickest in Australia’

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Canberra has the quickest average ambulance response times of all Australian capital cities for life-threatening emergencies, according to an independent report.

The report also identified significant improvements across all areas of the ACT Ambulance Service over the past four years.

In 2009, the then ACT Auditor-General Tu Pham issued a scathing review of the Territory’s ambulance service, which said poor response times and resources were not keeping pace with demand.

The latest review, by consultant Grant Lennox, found the ambulance service was now in a much better position.

It found paramedics in Canberra were, on average, the quickest to respond to a “code-one” or life-threatening emergency in an average time of 13.7 minutes.

Brisbane response times were the next fastest with crews responding in an average time of 14.9 minutes.

The report also noted improvements in communications, staff management, frontline emergency responses, patient safety and complaints handling since the ACT Government provided a $35million funding boost.

The massive funding injection provided by the ACT Government has enabled a significant “catch-up” in all key areas which is consistent with the ambulance caseload increases experienced by ACTAS and the need to ensure capacity to provide timely responses to medical emergencies.

Performance indicators such as response performance and patient satisfaction demonstrate that government has met its obligations to provide the community with an adequately resourced emergency service.

Emergency Services Minister Simon Corbell said it showed significant financial investment from the ACT Government had led to major improvements in the structure, governance and performance of the ambulance service.

“These are excellent results for our ambulance service and are now confirmed, due to this latest independent review of the service,” he said.