In another boost to our ambulance service, the Marshall Liberal Government has acquired land for a new $3.9 million ambulance station at Strathalbyn, following last week's announcement that the Government would hire an extra 74 ambulance officers.
Minister for Health and Wellbeing Stephen Wade today confirmed the acquisition of land on Dry Plains Road for the purpose-built SA Ambulance Service SAAS station.
"The population of the Adelaide Hills and Fleurieu Peninsula is booming, and we need to ensure that our hard-working ambos have enough room to accommodate future increases in staff, along with the garaging for more operational vehicles," Minister Wade said.
"We know that the region has an ageing population - the new station will not only support SAAS in their current service delivery but will provide greater operational flexibility in the future.
"SAAS are already piloting the introduction of single responder units in the South Coast region. Community Paramedics are working with Residential Aged Care Facilities within the Alexandrina, Victor Harbor and Yankalilla Council areas, and this station could see more crews like this call the region home.
"The Government is committed to upgrading and rebuilding ambulance stations across the state to ensure that our ambos can deliver the very best care to all South Australians.
"The new ambulance station will complement the Government's plan to employ an extra 74 full-time equivalent ambulance officers as part of the resolution to the long-running industrial dispute with the ambulance union. This is in addition to the extra 187 full-time equivalent SAAS staff employed in the first two years of the Marshall Government.
"It also supplements the more than $1 billion landmark hospital build program which includes upgrades at every suburban Adelaide hospital and expanding capacity in our emergency departments by an extra 138 treatment spaces.
"We are improving South Australia's health services to ease pressure on our emergency departments, reduce ambulance ramping and deliver your care closer to home."
The Strathalbyn land acquisition forms part of the Marshall Liberal Government's $11.7 million commitment to the SAAS Country Capital Reserve Fund over the next four years, which includes stations to be rebuilt in Roxby Downs, Birdwood and Hawker and major upgrades of stations at Meadows, Goolwa, Port Broughton, Tailem Bend, Gladstone, Kapunda, Coonalpyn and Lameroo.
SA Ambulance Service Chief Executive Officer David Place said the purchase of land was exciting and followed careful planning to ensure that the Service was well equipped to support their crews in caring for the community.
"The current Strathalbyn station has been in operation for more than 20 years and in recent times we have outgrown the facilities because of increasing demand," Mr Place said.
"This build will see the construction of a much larger, fit-for-purpose ambulance station that will provide accommodation for up to 20 staff and garaging for four, 24/7 operational vehicles."
Construction on the station is expected to start in January next year, with completion in December.
For more information visit www.saambulance.com.au.
