Documents relating to suicidal ideation ambulance call-outs and responses
Dear Ambulance Victoria,
I seek access to documents outlining information about ambulance call-outs and ambulance responses to patients with suicidal ideation. The information provided should include the number of calls and responses, the average times of response, patient conditions upon ambulance arrival (where possible), action taken by ambulance upon arrival, and areas/suburbs with the highest suicidal ideation ambulance calls. This FOI request also seeks NEPT information.
Yours faithfully,
Adi Berry
Adi
Please note that this request is not deemed a valid request until the required FOI application fee of $27.20 is received
Regards
Ian Mounsey
Dear Mounsey, Ian,
Please clarify whether the FOI fee can be paid via online funds transfer, and if so, the corresponding account details to make the payment to. I also require the reference number for this request to include it with my payment. If OFT is not accepted, please advise other forms of accepted payment.
Yours sincerely,
Adi Berry
Bank: Westpac
Bsb: 033 395
Account number: 245520
Account name: Ambulance Victoria
If paying by direct debit please email me the payment confirmation advice.
The FOI reference number is FOI/16/1203
Can you please provide a date range of the documents required
Regards
Ian
Dear Mounsey, Ian,
I have made the payment via direct debit and have included the reference number FOI 16 1203. The date range of the documents requested are from 2005 onward. Please advise which email address I can send the payment confirmation advice to.
Yours sincerely,
Adi Berry
Adi
I have been informed that the information you seek is not something AV is able to provide.
When an emergency ambulance is dispatched to a case, it is assigned an event type by the ESTA 000 call-taker from the information provided by the caller. It would be almost impossible for the 000 caller to know that someone requiring an emergency ambulance does so because the patient has suicidal ideation. An example of this maybe an attendance to a drug overdose, it is not known how the 000 call-taker or even the paramedic is able to determine whether the overdose was deliberate or an accident. Even if the overdose was deliberate, this does not necessarily mean the patient planned to commit suicide. If the overdose was in fact a deliberate act and the patient did in fact have suicidal thoughts, the event type allocated to this case is likely to be given as 'Overdose' or another of the many event types available, it will not be classified as a case where the person had suicidal thoughts.
Please note that it is the Coroner who determines cause of death, not Ambulance Victoria
Regards
Ian Mounsey
Adi
Please find attached my response to your FOI request to Ambulance Victoria
Also attached is your official receipt for the FOI application fee paid
Regards
Ian Mounsey – Records & FOI Team Leader
Information & Technology
Ambulance Victoria.
Level 1, 31 Joseph St, Blackburn Nth
P: 9896 6181
M: 0401 629088
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