Record funding, extra ambos will boost responses

The Queensland Government’s record funding for the Queensland Ambulance Service, the appointment of extra ambulance officers and its focus on frontline services will boost responses to the unprecedented demand for assistance, Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts said.

"The Queensland Ambulance Service is responding to unprecedented demand. Late last month, the Government released its response to the QAS audit to secure $12 million in savings to appoint an extra 100 frontline ambulance officers following the appointment of the extra 250 officers funded this financial year," Mr Roberts said.

Mr Roberts said the QAS responded to more than 800,000 calls for assistance in 2006-07, almost double the calls a decade ago (1997-98) and a 12.5% increase on 2005-06.

"The record funding and increased resources are assisting the QAS to maintain its response to Queenslanders, and maintain its position as a leading ambulance service in Australia," he said.

"For instance, the QAS responded to half of code 1 calls for assistance within 8.2 minutes in 2006-07 a slight increase on the previous financial year."

"The target for code 1 response is 10 minutes."

Mr Roberts said in addition to extra resources for the QAS, the Government is introducing a range of demand management strategies to provide alternative treatment for minor calls for assistance and crackdown on hoax calls to the QAS.

31 January 2008

Media contact: Kirby Anderson 0418 197 350