General News
26 February, 2026
Improved ambulance response times in Northern Grampians
In the Grampians region, paramedics and first responders responded to 4,191 Code 1 cases between October and December 2025.
NORTHERN Grampians paramedics have seen the biggest improvement in Code 1 response times across the Grampians region according to Ambulance Victoria.
In the Northern Grampians local goverment area (LGA), paramedics attended 62,2 per cent of Code 1 patients within 15 minutes – up from 55.1 per cent a year earlier – the biggest improvement in the state.
As a result, the average Code 1 response time decreased by two minutes and 50 seconds.
The Grampians region average clearing time has dropped from 28.6 minutes between January and March 2025 to 23.9 minutes between October and December 2025.
Grampians Regional Director Steve Doyle said in the Grampians Region, the average hospital clearing times 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 Doyle 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.”
In the Grampians region, paramedics and first responders responded to 4,191 Code 1 cases between October and December 2025.
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 state-wide average response time to Code 1 emergencies was 15 minutes and 40 seconds – six seconds faster than the previous quarter.
AV responded to 100,292 Code 1 emergencies across Victoria during the October to December quarter – slightly down on the previous quarter but still the third highest on record.
“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 Doyle said.
V Acting Executive Director Regional Operations Michael 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.
“If you need help but it’s not life-threatening, we encourage you to consider the most appropriate care for your situation.”
In a life-threatening emergency always call Triple Zero (000) immediately.
Read More: St Arnaud