Access to emergency healthcare

We plan to determine whether the Department of Health and responsible agencies are addressing Victorians’ need for timely and equitable access to emergency health care.

Why this is important

Emergency departments give urgent treatment to patients who are acutely unwell or injured. Their role is to stabilise patients before sending them home or to further care. 

When people have to wait a long time for emergency healthcare it can put their health or life at risk. 

Available DH data shows that ambulance transfer times are increasing. It also shows that less patients are getting treated within clinically recommended timeframes across triage categories. 

As Victoria's health system manager, DH is responsible for making sure Victorians get timely access to emergency healthcare. 

Ambulance Victoria provides urgent treatment and transport to health services who deliver emergency healthcare. It also provides secondary triage services to patients who call 000. 

What we plan to examine

This is a reasonable assurance performance audit. 

We will assess if health services provide Victorians timely and equitable access to emergency healthcare. 

We will also assess if DH, Ambulance Victoria and audited health services ensure the availability and sustainability of timely emergency health care services. 

Who we plan to examine

DH, Ambulance Victoria, Bendigo Health (Bendigo Base Hospital), Melbourne Health (Royal Melbourne Hospital) and Mercy Health (Werribee Mercy Hospital)

Timeframe

2023‒24

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