Residents of Adelaide's North and North-Eastern suburbs will have increased access to emergency health care with the Malinauskas Labor Government today officially opening Golden Grove's first ever ambulance station.
The new $11.4 million station will be home to 20 paramedics and 12 Emergency Support Service Ambulance Officers, who have been based at other nearby stations since they were recruited in 2023 as part of the Government's push to hire more ambos to ensure South Australians receive emergency care when they need it.
This is the first time the State Government has used its compulsory acquisition powers to secure the site for the new ambulance station, which will fill a critical coverage gap.
The Golden Grove station is strategically located on The Grove Way, near The Golden Way intersection and the Golden Grove Park'n'Ride. Being close to the transport hub, aged care facilities, schools and large shopping complexes, it will provide critical support to these burgeoning local communities.
Golden Grove was specifically identified as a priority as an under-serviced area with rapid population growth, leading to increased demand for ambulance services.
The new station will be fully operational from tomorrow, and features a purpose-built training space, office accommodation, a six-bay garage for five ambulances and one light fleet vehicle, a kitchen, rest areas, and secure car parking for crews.
It is the ninth new or rebuilt station opened by the Malinauskas Government, following stations opening at Edwardstown, Norwood, Woodville, Port Augusta, Hawker, Birdwood, Strathalbyn, and most recently, Mount Barker, which opened last weekend.
Meanwhile, ambulance response time data released today shows South Australians are receiving an ambulance on time far more frequently for 'lights and sirens emergencies' than they were under the former Liberal Government.
The Government's investment in SA Ambulance Service is delivering improved ambulance response times – with extra 2,896 South Australians in a 'lights and siren' emergency having an ambulance arrive on time last month compared to the same month in January 2022.
This is a direct result of the Malinauskas Labor Government hiring more ambos, building more stations and getting more ambulances on the road as part of our plan to build a bigger health system.
In December 2024, 70.8 per cent of Priority 1 cases were responded to within the benchmark time of eight minutes – an improvement of 23.7 percentage points compared to January 2022 under the former Liberal Government, when only 47.1 per cent of P1 cases received an ambulance on time.
It's a similar story for Priority 2 cases, with 61.9 per cent seen within 16 minutes in December 2024 compared to just 36.2 per cent in January 2022.
Both Priority 1 and Priority 2 response times also improved on the previous month.
Priority 1 |
Priority 2 |
|
January 2022 |
47.1 per cent |
36.2 per cent |
November 2024 |
67.3 per cent |
59.3 per cent |
December 2024 |
70.8 per cent |
61.9 per cent |
Ambulance response time data is published every month on the SA Health website.
As put by Peter Malinauskas
South Australians expect to have an ambulance arrive on time in an emergency.
Under the former Liberal Government, two out of three lights and sirens emergencies didn't arrive on time. That's now improved to two out of three getting there when they need it.
We are delivering more ambos and building more stations, such as the new modern station at Golden Grove, to provide high-quality emergency care for South Australians as we build a bigger health system.
As put by Chris Picton
The new ambulance station at Golden Grove will boost ambulance coverage in Adelaide's North and North-Eastern suburbs.
We are committed to improving ambulance response times and ensure South Australians get an ambulance quickly when they need it.
The past month's results are encouraging, and show that the investment the Government continues to make is paying off.
As put by Rhiannon Pearce, Member for King
The opening of the new ambulance station here will be a game-changer for Golden Grove.
I've advocated strongly for our community to have increased emergency resources, and I'm proud to be part of a Government that has delivered.
This will be a great benefit to the North and North-Eastern suburbs and provide local residents with peace of mind, having greater access to emergency care, when they need it.
As put by SAAS Chief Executive Officer, Rob Elliott
In 2024, our crews from stations in Adelaide's North responded to more than 58,000 incidents.
This new station at Golden Grove will support those who support our communities. It has been thoughtfully designed to provide our highly trained crews with the facilities they need to deliver exceptional care while continuing to develop their clinical and leadership skill sets.
The station's location in the very heart of Golden Grove gives our crews immediate access to The Grove Way, Golden Grove Road and The Golden Way, further enhancing their ability to respond quickly to urgent medical events.
The addition of this new station and the bringing the new Golden Grove crews into this area permanently will help to improve response times and ensure that we can continue to meet the needs of a growing population.
