The home of a brand-new SA Ambulance Service Headquarters and co-located Adelaide station has been confirmed – in a large future-proof site at Mile End close to the new state emergency services complex.
The Malinauskas Labor Government has revealed the $120 million HQ – a key election pledge – will be built on repurposed government-owned land spanning 10,000 square metres, at 71 Richmond Road, Mile End.
It’s just down the road from the new joint command centre housing SES, CFS and MFS on Richmond Road at Keswick.
The new ambo HQ will include a new Emergency Operations Centre and South Australia’s first-ever State Health Control Centre, plus a new city ambulance station which will help improve coverage across Adelaide and house additional crews.
The site was selected as the ideal location for a number of reasons, with benefits including its large size perfect for future expansion if required and its easy proximity to the city.
Because it’s a government-owned site, currently leased out by the Department for Infrastructure and Transport, work is able to get underway more quickly on building the new HQ.
The new state-of-the-art SAAS Emergency Operations Centre will provide the critical equipment and technology for call-takers and emergency medical dispatchers, who are responding to a record number of ambulance triple zero calls.
The new facility will also accommodate a State Health Control Centre with a central view of system demand for Local Health Networks and ambulances, designed to respond to blockages that cause ramping and hospital overcrowding.
The on-site ambulance station will be home to two 24/7 emergency crews - a total of 32 paramedics - armed with four of the 36 new ambulances from the Malinauskas Labor Government’s record investment into the state’s ambulance service.
The new station and crewing for the city will help other ambulances return to their home stations, boosting response times across the metropolitan area.
The first of these new Adelaide-based paramedics will come online in 2024 and be based out of temporary facilities in Stepney until the new station is built.
Having already delivered 10 emergency medical dispatchers, SAAS will deliver a further five by the end of July 2024 - fulfilling the commitment to establish 15 more dispatchers to assist in the coordination of ambulance resources.
Construction of the new HQ and ambulance station is set to begin in late 2023, scheduled for completion by the end of 2025.
The additional ambulance site, along with the extra 350 ambos promised by the Malinauskas Labor Government, requires a significant boost to the ambulance vehicle fleet.
Today, the government also unveils the new look for ambulances hitting the road, which will be spread throughout the state as new vehicles continue to come online over the next three years and beyond.
While there is still much to be done, the latest SA Ambulance data shows that inroads are being made into improving crucial response times.
There has been a rise in meeting Category 1 response times from only 47 per cent on time in January 2022, up to 63 per cent last month, exceeding the 60 per cent target.
And Category 2 response times have increased from 36 per cent met in January 2022, to 53 per cent last month.
Quotes attributable to Chris Picton
We made it clear coming to Government that a new ambulance headquarters as well as a new central station was required – and that’s exactly what we’re delivering.
An open market process was launched to find suitable land and deliver the best possible location for the new HQ, while fulfilling the long-term needs of our ambulance workforce and patients.
I’m pleased we’ve been able to secure such an ideal future-proofed site and we will now get on with building these important new facilities.
The people who we trust to respond to triple zero calls and dispatch ambulances are currently working out of a building that is outdated and insufficient. We are building them the facilities that they have long called for and delivering the equipment and technology that our patients need.
The new State Health Control Centre will bring together staff from across the local health networks and the ambulance service to better coordinate operations and respond to surges in demand.
Quotes attributable to Member for Badcoe Jayne Stinson
People in Badcoe, and beyond, deserve a professional, well-resourced ambulance service - and that’s what this new headquarters and station delivers.
I want everyone in my area to have faith that if they need emergency help - it will be there without delay.
This location in my electorate is ideal to service the city and southern suburbs and I’m looking forward to the investments we’re making benefitting my community.
Health is a key concern for people in the inner south and we’re delivering on our promises to provide high quality health care - especially when that comes to our ambulance services.
