SA Ambulance Service

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Leader of the Opposition) (15:17): Supplementary arising from the original answer: would the minister expect to be advised promptly of a case, if it was the case that on Monday morning an 11 year old with an uncontrolled haemorrhage waited 34 minutes for an ambulance?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (15:18): One point I would make is I think the honourable member is referring to a case that he describes as a P2. The response time for a P1 (priority 1) is eight minutes, and the goal is to achieve that eight minutes 60 per cent of the time. We certainly have targets to drive quality services, but we don't expect that every case will be responded to within that time.

In relation to the Sunday case of the 10 year old, the location of the patient itself was a delaying factor. As I am advised, the paramedic came and found the patient in a difficult location within a conservation park. Within the metropolitan area, we have targets. We certainly strive to achieve them, but there are times when the response time is not met.