Victoria’s ambulance system came under heavy strain during the Melbourne Cup weekend, with Ambulance Victoria issuing a Code Orange alert on Saturday night as calls for help surged and hospital emergency departments faced an influx of patients.
Officials said the service was “extremely busy” across metropolitan Melbourne and Greater Geelong, warning that paramedics could be delayed in responding to non-critical cases. Chief executive Jordan Emery explained that call volumes were about 5 per cent higher than usual more than 100 additional calls in a single night.
The pressure was compounded by a spike in hospital presentations, leading to longer ambulance ramping times. The most common emergencies were chest pain and falls, but alcohol-related incidents also rose as the Spring Racing Carnival and a pseudo-long weekend saw more people out socialising. Emery noted that the warmer weather increased risks of fainting and illness among the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions.
Authorities urged Victorians to only dial triple-0 for serious or life-threatening emergencies, directing others to the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department, Urgent Care clinics, local GPs, or the Nurse-On-Call service. Emery praised Triple Zero Victoria for triaging effectively, saying the team diverted about 20 per cent of calls away from requiring an emergency ambulance.
By Sunday morning, most Melbourne hospitals had returned to normal waiting times, though Monash Medical Centre continued to warn of waits of up to four hours. Emery appealed to the public to make sensible choices: moderating alcohol intake, staying hydrated, avoiding drink-driving, and looking out for friends to prevent unnecessary ambulance callouts.
The Victorian government highlighted that it had allocated an extra $58 million to the state’s ambulance service in this year’s budget. Government frontbencher Sonya Kilkenny praised paramedics for their efforts, adding: “Our paramedics work extremely hard. I’m sure that government will look into this matter.”
The Code Orange alert underscored the ongoing challenges facing Victoria’s health system during peak social events, with officials warning that even modest increases in demand can stretch resources to their limits.
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