New $7.8m Woodville Ambulance Station and Hospital Avoidance Hub set to open

The Health Minister says the new facility will take pressure off nearby hospitals when patients use it as an alternative to the emergency department.

A new ambulance station opened its doors on Monday with hopes it would address critical gaps in service coverage in Adelaide’s western suburbs.

The opening of the $7.8 million Woodville Ambulance Station will coincide with the unveiling of a new Hospital Avoidance Hub at Woodville South.

From Monday, the new Woodville station will be home to 16 paramedics and will be the base for SA Ambulance Service’s Western Paramedic Intern Development Team.

Meanwhile, the new Hospital Avoidance Hub at Woodville South will aim to take pressure off nearby emergency departments.

In 2022, the state government announced it would fund five new state-of-the-art ambulance stations to combat hospital ramping and waiting times.

New intern paramedic Karli Falting and medical lead for integrated care Lane Hinchcliff at the opening of the new Woodville Ambulance Station and the new Hospital Avoidance Hub at Woodville South. Picture: Russell Millard Photography

The new Woodville Ambulance Station. Picture: Russell Millard Photography

Health Minister Chris Picton said the government was committed to recruiting extra ambulance officers while the new avoidance hub would free up hospital beds for the most urgent cases.

“We are recruiting hundreds of extra ambos so that more South Australians can get an ambulance to roll up on time in an emergency,” he said.

“From Monday, a new Hospital Avoidance Hub in the western suburbs will provide treatment for urgent but non-emergency cases, and free up beds in our EDs.

“The services at Sefton Park and Daw Park have already treated about 17,000 patients in the past 18 months – which otherwise would have gone to busy hospitals.”

SA Ambulance Service chief executive officer Rob Elliott said the location of the Woodville station was planned to “enhance response times to surrounding areas and better serve the community in the western suburbs and beyond”.

Health Minister Chris Picton, SAAS CEO Rob Elliott and new intern paramedics at the opening of the new Woodville ambulance station and new hospital avoidance hub. Picture: Russell Millard Photography

Intern paramedic Karli Falting and Lane Hinchcliffe, medical lead for Integrated Care, at the opening of the new Woodville Ambulance Station and new hospital avoidance hub. Picture: Russell Millard Photography

“Woodville Ambulance Station will serve as a hub for training our graduate paramedic interns and ensuring they are well-prepared to handle any situation they encounter,” he said.

Central Adelaide Local Health Network acting chief executive Kathryn Zeitz said the new hubs had proven to be effective in providing an alternate location for patients on a trajectory to an emergency department.

“This includes those with restricted mobility, bariatric conditions and residents of aged care facilities, as well as people experiencing homelessness,” she said.

“We are excited to expand this model of care which provides an alternative option for patients and eases pressure on acute health services at our hospitals.”