Report shows extent of logjam in public hospitals

The federal AMA’s latest ambulance ramping report demonstrated yet again just how much pressure our public hospitals are under. 

The Ambulance Ramping Report Card shows record demand, worsening handover delays, and a system struggling to keep pace, with more than 2.4 million Australians arriving at emergency departments by ambulance in 2024‒25. 

The findings paint a stark picture of a system under extreme strain, with reports of people dying while waiting for an ambulance or while ramped outside hospitals. 

Ambulance ramping is a daily reality and a symptom of the logjam in our public hospitals that is putting patients, paramedics and clinicians in harm’s way.  

Ambulance callouts hit a record high in 2024–25, and more than half now result in a hospital presentation, intensifying pressure on overstretched emergency departments. Despite a minor improvement in performance in 2024–25, the longer-term decline since the COVID‑19 pandemic continues to drive delays and compromise patient care. 

Across Australia, ambulances are spending significantly more time ramped outside hospitals than they were five years ago. This reduces the availability of ambulances to respond to other emergencies and contributes to dangerous delays in treatment. 

At a media conference at Parliament House this week, federal AMA President Dr Danielle McMullen called on governments to tackle access block head-on by expanding hospital capacity, improving patient flow, and investing in the health workforce. 

These reforms are essential to prevent further harm, restore confidence in the system and ensure ambulances are available when people need them.