Ambulance response times in March for P2 lights and sirens cases were the best they have been since April 2021 as the Malinauskas Labor Government is making significant progress in its commitment to improve ambulance services across Adelaide.

Priority 1 cases were also the second best month since November 2020. The figures were also the best March for P1 and P2 cases in four years.

In March this year, 73.3 per cent of Priority 1 cases were reached on time, within eight minutes. The target is 60 per cent.

That’s a major improvement compared to March last year when 60.8 per cent of P1 cases were reached on time and March 2022 when 59.4 per cent were reached on time.

A 65.5 per cent response rate was achieved for Priority 2 cases in March, marking the highest P2 performance since April 2021.

That compares to 53.5 per cent for March 2023 and 40.9 per cent for March 2022.

These improvements translate to an additional 2,098 South Australians with lifethreatening emergencies being reached on time, (either a Priority 1 or 2), in March 2024, compared to March 2022.

This improvement was achieved despite SAAS receiving 3.5 per cent more Triple Zero (000) calls in March compared to March 2022, while continuing to answer 96.1 per cent of calls within 10 seconds.

More than half of the additional crews under the Government’s 350 additional ambos policy are now in place.

Tranmere local, Paul Rhigas, has expressed his gratitude to paramedics who saved his life after they arrived on time.

When chest pain struck on December 20th last year, their swift response to his Triple Zero (000) call was crucial.

Within minutes, paramedics arrived and witnessed his out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Acting swiftly, they administered life-saving chest compressions, leading to his successful revival and later recovery. Mr Rhigas is among many South Australians benefiting from more paramedics on our roads.

Work recently started at Golden Grove ambulance station, while construction at the Woodville, Norwood, and Edwardstown ambulance stations is progressing swiftly, with Norwood scheduled for an official opening in July.

Both Woodville and Edwardstown are on schedule for completion by the end of this year. With brickwork, external cladding and the installation of internal fixtures underway, both sites are poised to be watertight before the onset of winter.

The sites are part of an overall commitment to deliver five brand new ambulance stations, a new ambulance headquarters, four rebuilt stations and upgrades to another 10 stations.

Although there is still much more to do, our record investments in health are making a difference. By the end of this year, there will be more than 150 new beds opened across the system, which will create more capacity in our system reduce bed-block.

The full list of response times can be found on the SA Health website.

Quotes

Attributable to Chris Picton

This is an exciting phase in our ambulance infrastructure projects, with rapid progress being made. I am proud to see our vision, as well as the community's vision, for improved ambulance services taking shape before our eyes.

Our investment is really making a difference - it's helping get paramedics to patients quicker, even though our ambulance service is busier than it's ever been.

We're fully aware that our journey is far from over. Our efforts are focused on establishing robust long-term infrastructure, bolstering our healthcare workforce and building and opening more beds to create more capacity in our hospitals.

As a government, we take immense pride in our efforts to alleviate the strain our ambos have been facing for far too long, and to be providing them with the resources and infrastructure they need to do their job.

Ambulance response times have improved considerably since our Government was elected.

We've reached the halfway mark, and it's fantastic to see the tangible results of our investments already making a lifesaving difference.

Attributable to SA Ambulance Service (SAAS) Chief Executive Officer, Rob Elliott

When you need an ambulance, every second counts. Our crews know this first-hand, and I am incredibly proud of their efforts to provide exceptional and prompt care to the community.

We moved quickly to recruit our additional staff and we're also moving fast to build the critical infrastructure that our crews need. Although some are currently based in temporary locations, we're keen to relocate them to their designated new, rebuilt and upgraded stations to better address our emergency coverage in these key areas.