Paramedics back on the road faster across the state

Ambulance Victoria (AV) paramedics and first responders are getting back on the road faster and improving response times thanks to a significant drop in hospital clearing times across the state.

Hospital clearing times are the duration between an ambulance crew completing their patient handover and being available to attend another case.

Introduced last year, the Standards for Safe and Timely Ambulance and Emergency Care (the Standards) are improving handover times across the state.

AV Acting Executive Director Regional Operations Michael Georgiou said across Victoria, the average hospital clearing time dropped by more than four minutes last year.

“Every small improvement – from more efficient hospital handovers to quicker clearing times – adds up to better care for all Victorians,” Mr Georgiou said.

“We are extremely proud of our crews who through dedication and teamwork have made remarkable improvements to hospital clearing times and are returning to the community faster.”

The statewide average clearing time has dropped from 31.8 minutes between January and March 2025 to 27.6 minutes between October and December 2025.

As a result, the latest ambulance performance data for October to December 2025 has shown improvements statewide and in 49 Local Government Areas (LGAs).

During the October to December quarter across Victoria, AV crews responded to 65.1 per cent of Code 1 cases within the state-wide target of 15 minutes – up from 64.1 per cent in the previous quarter. The statewide average response time to Code 1 emergencies was 15 minutes and 40 seconds – six seconds faster than the previous quarter.

The state-wide average response time to less-urgent Code 2 cases was 44 minutes and 32 seconds – nearly two minutes faster than the previous quarter.

Mr Georgiou said these improvements were achieved despite ongoing high demand for the most critical ‘lights and sirens’ emergency cases.

“During the October to December quarter, we responded to 100,292 Code 1 emergencies – slightly down on the previous quarter but still the third highest on record,” Mr Georgiou said.

“Despite this demand, we continue to lead the way in pre-hospital patient care, including the best cardiac arrest survival rates in Australia and third best anywhere in the world.”

Mr Georgiou said AV is working closely with hospitals, emergency services and government partners to keep patients moving through the system as quickly as possible and get ambulances back on the road sooner.

“Reducing clearing times is just one way we are striving to achieve the Standards, with work also underway to complete more efficient patient transfers and using other care options such as the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department (VVED) when safe and appropriate,” Mr Georgiou said.

“By leaving hospitals faster, we can get to the patients in the community who need our lifesaving care the most – and that means better patient outcomes.”

Mr Georgiou said the support of the community can also help save lives.

“If you need help but it’s not life-threatening, we encourage you to consider the most appropriate care for your situation,” Mr Georgiou said.

“AV paramedics and first responders are focused on reaching the sickest patients first — but every day, about one in five calls to Triple Zero (000) do not need an emergency ambulance response.

“Getting the right care at the right time can make a big difference. There are many options people can access when they need timely medical care and health advice, at any time of the night or day – but not an emergency ambulance or calling Triple Zero (000), including the VVED and Nurse-on-Call.

“Local Urgent Care Clinics, GPs and pharmacists are also great options.”

Mr Georgiou said AV’s Triage Services team — staffed by nurses and paramedics — also plays a vital role by connecting people with the right care and freeing up ambulances for life-threatening emergencies.

“From October to December, 49,737 people who did not need an emergency ambulance were instead connected to more appropriate care by paramedics and nurses in Triage Services,” Mr Georgiou said.

In a life-threatening emergency always call Triple Zero (000) immediately.

AV Q2 performance data, including LGA data, can be found on the Our performance page.

Table: Average Clearing time data (minutes)