VICTORIA is facing a crisis in its emergency health response system, with alarming reports revealing significant shortcomings in both the Triple Zero service and the Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance (MICA) service.
The recent revelations regarding Victoria’s Triple Zero crisis are deeply troubling.
Desperate Victorians have been forced to be on hold for up to six minutes for emergency assistance during an extreme weather crisis, putting lives at risk.
Premier Jacinta Allan’s inaction in addressing the ongoing issue is unacceptable, reflecting a failure to prioritise the health and wellbeing of Victorians.
Furthermore, the state of Victoria’s Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance (MICA) service is equally alarming. Reports of lives being recklessly endangered due to dangerously disorganised operations demand urgent attention.
It is concerning to learn that significant parts of the state are left without MICA coverage for critical care, leaving regions like Bairnsdale, Bendigo, Sale, Shepparton, Swan Hill, Warrnambool, Wangaratta, Wodonga, and Wonthaggi without access to MICA paramedics.
The system’s chaotic state and woefully inadequate staffing exacerbate an already dire situation, leaving both patients vulnerable and paramedics stretched.
The proposed cuts to single-responder MICA units in regional areas further jeopardise essential emergency response capabilities, making access to healthcare in regional Victoria even harder.
The government’s failure to address these systematic failures is utterly unacceptable and is another example of Labor not being able to manage money, leaving Victorians to pay the price.
Victorian lives are regularly put at risk as they face persistent challenges in assessing timely emergency care. Urgent steps are imperative to address these systematic issues and safeguard the safety and welfare of all Victorians.
This is a matter of life and death and Labor refuse to treat health seriously.
Peter Walsh
Leader of The Nationals
Member for Murray Plains
