Faster care despite record demand, Victorian data shows
New quarterly data shows Victorian emergency department wait times held at a median of 15 minutes despite more than 513,000 presentations. Ambulance transfer times improved, planned surgery performance strengthened, and virtual and urgent care services continued to expand as demand across the system remains high.
Waiting seats for patients in the hospital
Victorians are continuing to receive emergency and planned care more quickly, despite record demand across the state’s health system.
New quarterly figures show the median emergency department wait time remained steady at 15 minutes between October and December — seven minutes faster than pre-pandemic levels.
This was recorded during the busiest quarter on record, with more than 513,000 emergency department presentations.
Ambulance demand also remained high, with more than 100,000 Code One responses in the same period. Despite this pressure, paramedics spent less time waiting at hospitals, allowing them to return to the road sooner.
Nearly three quarters of patients transported by ambulance were transferred to hospital staff within 40 minutes — the strongest result in five years.
The Victorian Government says the results reflect ongoing reforms, including the introduction of Standards for Safe and Timely Ambulance and Emergency Care, aimed at improving patient flow and supporting frontline staff.
Planned surgery wait times improve
Quarter two data also shows improvements in planned surgery.
More than 53,000 planned surgeries were delivered during the quarter, with 87 per cent completed within clinically recommended timeframes — the best quarterly performance in four years.
Category One patients continued to be treated within the 30-day target, while median treatment times for less urgent surgeries improved compared to the same time last year.
Category Two wait times reduced by a further three days, and Category Three wait times reduced by eight days.
Investment in alternative care pathways
The government attributes part of the improvement to expanded alternative care options designed to ease pressure on emergency departments.
The Victorian Virtual Emergency Department handled nearly 80,000 calls during the quarter — 32 per cent more than the same period last year.
Victorian Urgent Care Clinics have now supported more than one million visits, diverting less serious cases away from hospital emergency departments.
A new Virtual Hospital pilot led by Royal Melbourne Hospital and Austin Health is also providing specialist hospital-level care to patients in their own homes.
Minister responds
Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas said the data showed improvements were being delivered even under sustained demand.
“More Victorians are receiving care than ever before, and even with this demand, care is being delivered faster.”
“This world-class care wouldn’t be possible without our dedicated nurses, doctors, ambos and health workforce.”
The government says continued investment in workforce, infrastructure and alternative care models will be central to maintaining performance as demand across the health system continues to grow.
