After quite a few cases of delayed ambulance services the Victorian Auditor-General has now agreed to have an in-depth look at Victoria's ambulance services before the November state election. This is in response to a communication made by the State Opposition earlier this year.
According to Nationals Leader Peter Ryan delayed response from ambulances were linked to at least one death. He cites the joining of rural and metropolitan ambulance services in 2008 as the reason for these problems. He said, “The service provision just seems to have fallen away and it's to the point now where the ambulances are not responding even within the time lines that Mr. Brumby has set… We need to have this investigated. That's why I've written to the auditor-general and I'm very pleased the auditor-general is going to conduct these investigations.”
The Auditor General’s report is expected to be presented in Parliament in October. Ambulance Victoria meanwhile has welcomed the decision for a review. According to Greg Sassella from Ambulance Victoria the true picture will come forth from the investigation. He said, “I'm bracing for an independent report. I think that it will give a truer picture of what's happening…I'm not going to predict what the report is going to say, but we benchmark against other ambulance services and we're doing quite well comparatively, but of course the auditor- general will make up his own mind.” Victorian secretary of the Ambulance Employees Australia, Steve McGhie, expressed his views on the matter saying, “We're hopeful that ambulance paramedics will be able to speak to the auditor general's office directly or at least be given the opportunity to put a submission to the auditor general…Clearly we would be encouraging paramedics and other ambulance employees to assist with this review and provide any relevant evidence that they have.”
Premier John Brumby also has his fingers crossed but assured that there has been a healthy investment in ambulance services and that should come forth. “We've more than doubled the number of ambulance officers in country Victoria…Does that mean that any system will always be perfect? No it doesn't. No system will be perfect, particularly emergency management systems,” he concluded.