The Western Australian government has announced a $252 million (US$178.6 million) reform package to address the systemic causes of ambulance ramping and improve access to emergency care in the state.
This will come as part of the government’s 2022-23 Budget, due to be unveiled next week.
Ambulance “ramping” is the term used when a patient needs to wait over 30 minutes in an ambulance outside a hospital before the emergency department (ED) can receive them.
According to St John’s Ambulances WA, the total number of hours ambulances were ramped across Western Australia in 2021 was over 52,000, more than double the number of hours seen in 2020 (25,900).
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