Report reveals dangerous pressure on NSW ambulance services

The latest Bureau of Health Information (BHI) Quarterly Health Report paints a stark picture of ambulance and emergency services in NSW.

Despite paramedics going above and beyond to serve their communities, the report exposes systemic failures that are leaving patients waiting longer and frontline workers struggling under immense pressure.

Data shows the pressure on NSW ambulance services has never been greater. This quarter alone, paramedics responded to 385,873 incidents, marking a 6.2 per cent increase compared to the same period last year. But as demand soars, response times are falling behind – leaving patients waiting longer for life-saving care.

Life-threatening P1A cases saw a staggering 45.8 per cent surge, yet only 63.9 per cent were reached within the critical 10-minute benchmark, a drop of 2.5 percentage points. For P1 emergencies, median response times climbed to 13.7 minutes, up from 12.9 minutes the previous year.

Alarmingly, 1 in 10 of those cases waited over 32 minutes, a delay that can have dire consequences for patient outcomes.

Cracks widening

Australian Paramedics Association NSW Secretary Brendan McIlveen said, ‘Paramedics are doing everything they can, but the numbers show the cracks in the system are widening. Every delay is not just a statistic – it’s a patient waiting in pain, and it’s a paramedic pushed to their limit.’

Emergency departments across NSW are buckling under relentless demand, leaving patients and paramedics caught in the fallout. This quarter alone saw 787,590 attendances– a 2.1 per cent increase from the same period last year.

Fewer than 61.3 per cent of patients began treatment on time, the lowest rate ever recorded since the Bureau of Health Information began tracking this data. For Triage 2 (emergency) cases, just 49.2 per cent of patients received care within the recommended 10 minutes, a sharp 5.4 percentage point drop compared to last year.

‘The impact on patients is devastating,’ said Mr Mcllveen. ‘Paramedics are stuck waiting with patients outside overcrowded EDs, unable to respond to new emergencies in the community. It’s a vicious cycle that leaves everyone worse off.

‘Too often, paramedics are forced to take lower-priority cases to hospital while critical emergencies are delayed,’ he said. ‘A review of the triage system is essential to ensure the right care reaches the right patient at the right time.’

In the regions

The BHI report shows that rural and regional NSW also continue to suffer from chronic under-resourcing. Data shows median response times for P1 emergencies in rural areas rose to 13.9 minutes, compared to 8.3 minutes in urban centers for P1A cases.

‘Our rural communities are being left behind,’ said Mr Mcllveen. ‘Paramedics in these areas are stretched thin, and patients are paying the price. This disparity is unacceptable and must be addressed with targeted investment.’

The Australian Paramedics Association (NSW) is advocating for systematic reforms that are long required to address growing pressure on paramedics and emergency services.

They say that increasing the paramedic workforce is essential to meet rising demand and prevent burnout. The triage system also needs urgent reform, allowing clinical expertise to guide decisions and ensure the most critical patients are prioritised.

‘Our paramedics are committed to their patients, but they need support,’ Mr Mcllveen said. ‘This isn’t just about statistics—it’s about saving lives and ensuring every community has access to timely, quality care.’

The APA says every delayed ambulance or overcrowded ED impacts real people – patients left waiting, families in distress, and paramedics unable to provide the care they’re trained to deliver. The organisation says the BHI report is a call to action for policymakers, health administrators, and communities to work together for a better, fairer system.