Phone referral service promises to free up paramedics
Ambulance Victoria is rolling out its telephone referral service to the Grampians, after a successful trial in the state’s south-west earlier this year.
The service transfers some triple-0 calls to paramedics and nurses trained in telephone triage, rather than sending an ambulance out to every case.
Health Minister David Davis says the referral service will help to free up paramedics.
“In country Victoria it’s important because in some towns there will be only one paramedic service that’s available and if [it’s] a more minor case that can be managed by nurses or a GP support service, it means that the paramedics remain available,” he said.
“The Government from the start of the year trialled the expansion of the referral service into the Barwon, south-west region.
“It’s been very successful and for that reason Ambulance Victoria with the Government’s support is rolling out the referral service to the other four rural regions of Victoria.”