Ambulance Victoria Grampians regional manager Greg Leach said an experienced paramedic kept in contact with bystanders at the scene to monitor the man’s condition during the wait.

“An ambulance was called at 11.42am for a man aged about 60 who had fallen over in Ballarat and had a cut to his head,” he said.

“Several ambulances were dispatched to this case, but diverted to higher priority patients. 

“All calls for ambulance are assessed on their severity, with paramedics responding to life-threatening emergencies and the sickest patients first.”

Mr Leach said an ambulance arrived at the scene after about an hour and 15 minutes.

“An ambulance which had just cleared from a Ballarat hospital responded to the patient, arriving at 12.56pm. Paramedics took the man to Ballarat Hospital in a stable condition,” he said.

“We appreciate the efforts of the bystanders and understand that this period would have been concerning for the patient and those with him.”

Wendouree ambulance branch paramedic Sarah Brennan, who was working in one of the ambulances that was called to the scene but then diverted, said the incident  was unacceptable.

“He was waiting for an ambulance for nearly an hour and 20 minutes in central Ballarat on a Sunday morning, which is just unbelievable,” Ms Brennan said.

Victorian paramedics are currently involved in a long-running dispute with the state government over pay and working conditions.

Ms Brennan said a number of factors led to the incident, including a busy day at the hospital, an increasing workload on paramedics and the fact fewer non-emergency providers – who perform duties such as transporting patients from hospital to home - worked at weekends, which increased the strain on emergency responders.

andrew.ramadge@fairfaxmedia.com.au