Member for Northern Victoria, Tania Maxwell has welcomed the injection of $14.8m into regional ambulance services by the Victorian Government.

Extra paramedics and ambulances were announced for Peak Period Units (PPUs) to be deployed across Victoria, including Eaglehawk and Gisborne, as well as extra resources for Benalla, Castlemaine, and Daylesford, converting from on call to 24-hour shift coverage.

The Beechworth branch will convert from single paramedic to dual crewing and Chiltern will convert to a single paramedic on-call location with ACO support.

Ms Maxwell said she was pleased that collective work with councils and residents on ambulance resourcing, which she regularly takes to Parliament to put the case forward for more resourcing, was starting to pay dividends.

Ms Maxwell has raised ambulance resourcing in Parliament relating to Indigo Shire, Loddon Mallee, Seymour, Bendigo, and Myrtleford, as well as having direct discussions with the Minister for Health and Ambulance Victoria.

Ms Maxwell said COVID-19 had put even more pressure on an already stretched service and she is keen to continue her consultations with Ambulance Victoria and the Government on a whole-of-system approach, from community health to acute care, to improve health services in regional areas.

Ms Maxwell said that she was hopeful there will be further funding to increase the available pool of ambulances in regional areas for each shift, which she said was in urgent need to meet demand.

Quotes attributable to Tania Maxwell MP:

“I’ve worked closely with local councils and residents over the last two years and collectively we’ve put a strong case to the Government so they understood what our communities need.”

“There’s no doubt that more needs to be done, but this is a very positive step and I’m keen to continue to work with the Government and Ambulance Victoria on further improvements.”