No. 42

Major boost in ACT Ambulance staff and vehicles

The ACT Ambulance Service is set to receive a major funding surge of $4.9 million over 4 years for staffing and vehicles in this year’s Budget with Minister for Police and Emergency Services Simon Corbell announcing funding for 16 additional staffing positions and four new ambulances.

“This funding further strengthens the ambulance fleet by including $718,000 for two new Intensive Care Ambulances, an additional non-urgent patient transport vehicle and specially-designed Bariatric Ambulance for morbidly obese patients.  

“This initiative represents the single largest increase in ambulance staffing to ambulance services in the ACT since 2002 and recognises the steady growth in demand for services over the past five years,” Mr Corbell said. 

“In 2005-06 there was 15.1% increase in the number of incidents attended by ACTAS compared to the previous year.

“These extra resources will assist the ACT Ambulance Service in continuing to provide a first-class ambulance service while meeting that increased demand.

“The funding I’ve announced today follows on from the ACT Government’s substantial investment in ambulance services in previous Budgets including the provision of state-of-the-art cardiac monitor defibrillators, patient stretchers and the replacement of eight Intensive Care ambulance vehicles.

“The bariatric ambulance provides the ACT Ambulance Service the capability to provide safe and efficient transport to morbidly obese patients, and addresses previous safety concerns associated with the provision of ambulance services by staff and from these members of the community.

 “Overweight and obesity are major risk factors for chronic conditions including diabetes, heart disease, stroke and some cancers.  The inherent requirement to provide safe and efficient ambulance services to this part of the community is well recognised by other State and Territory ambulance services that have developed specialist capabilities in this area.

“The bariatric ambulance will also provide a secondary function in the provision of safe transport of specialist ambulance Chemical Biological Radiation and Urban Search and Rescue caches.”