Elderly Melbourne woman dies after two-hour ambulance wait
An elderly resident of Hoppers Crossing died on Friday morning after paramedics arrived roughly two hours after a 000 call was placed.
A woman in her 90s fell at her Hoppers Crossing residence on Friday morning and remained unattended for roughly two hours before ambulance personnel reached the scene. Ambulance Victoria explained that the response time was affected by a sustained surge in demand across the service, which has prompted the addition of twelve extra crews in recent days. Jordan Emery, the chief executive of Ambulance Victoria, said the agency does not yet know all the details surrounding the death and will conduct a comprehensive investigation.
The organization has also been in contact with the victim’s relatives to offer condolences. Victoria Police are compiling a report for the coroner, confirming the death is not being investigated as suspicious. The incident follows earlier reviews that highlighted delays in the state’s emergency call system, which was overhauled and rebranded as Triple Zero Victoria in 2022.
Why it matters
The case highlights potential gaps in emergency response capacity during periods of high demand.
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