Page 50 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 12 February 2019
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ACT Ambulance Service—government support
MS CODY: My question is to the Minister for Police and Emergency Services. Minister, how does the ACT Ambulance Service compare to the rest of the nation?
MR GENTLEMAN: I thank Ms Cody for her question. With the release of the 2019 report on government services—ROGS—it gives me great pleasure to highlight the excellent service that the Canberra community continues to receive from the ACT Ambulance Service—ACTAS. The 2019 ROGS shows that ACTAS has recorded the best response times in the country for the seventh year in a row, as well as maintaining a high level of patient satisfaction, with a 97 per cent result in the annual ambulance patient satisfaction survey.
ACTAS also reported the second highest percentage of emergency triple zero calls answered within 10 seconds, outperforming the national average by 7.1 per cent. This terrific result has been achieved during a period that has seen a significant growth in the number of emergency triple zero calls due to population growth and changes in the age profile of the Canberra community. Ambulance call-outs have risen from approximately 35,000 in 2009-10 to approximately 54,000 in 2017-18.
The government is working with the hardworking staff across ACTAS to deliver the resources they need. By working with our hardworking paramedics and all staff across ACTAS, we have built the best ambulance service in the country.
MS CODY: Minister, how is the government helping ACTAS as our city grows?
MR GENTLEMAN: I thank Ms Cody for that excellent supplementary question and want to acknowledge her hard work in supporting our first responders, something I know she understands firsthand.
Madam Speaker, to ensure that Canberra remains one of the safest communities in the world to live in, the government will continue to provide support for our ambulance workforce and remains focused on their health and welfare as they continue to meet community expectations.
More front-line staff and new equipment demonstrate our ongoing commitment to meeting the needs of our growing city and keeping Canberrans safe. Significant funding packages announced during this term of government to date will deliver 53 additional paramedics, seven new ambulances, new defibrillator units, and powered stretchers in all operational ambulance vehicles, which will reduce physical demands on paramedics and improve patient safety. This is well above the election commitment, and recognises the support required to maintain a nation-leading ambulance service.
As I have said, Madam Speaker, unlike those opposite we will not be dictating to ACTAS. Rather, we will continue to work with our paramedics and other ACTAS staff to continuing delivering the best ambulance service in the nation as our city grows.
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