Ambulance Ramping

In reply to the Hon. J.S. LEE ().20 August 2025).

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Deputy Premier, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector, Special Minister of State): The Minister for Health and Wellbeing has advised:

Since opening, the Transition Care Service (TCS) has admitted 231 patients and successfully discharged 211, with an average length of stay of just over 20 days. This represents more than 4,500 patient care days delivered and has eased demand on acute hospital beds by supporting timely discharge into a subacute recovery environment.

The service is designed with clear length-of-stay targets by patient cohort, and discharge dates are actively monitored through joint clinical decision-making between Amplar Health and SALHN. A target of less than 20 per cent of patients exceeding their planned stay ensures the model remains focused on throughput, timely discharge, and preventing bottlenecks.

It is acknowledged that timely access to residential aged care, disability supports, or private care services is becoming more challenging across the health system. The Transition Care Service has been specifically designed to address this gap by providing safe, high-quality subacute care while longer term pathways are arranged. Early discharge planning, estimated discharge dates, and proactive social work involvement are embedded into the model, with strong partnerships being developed with aged-care providers, NDIS supports, and community services. This ensures patients and families are supported to transition into the most appropriate next stage of care, while protecting hospitals from unnecessary bed blockages. The TCS provides an end-to-end, multidisciplinary model of care that optimises patient function and quality of life while ensuring person-centred discharge planning. This approach reduces the risk of readmission and strengthens connections to primary and community care.

To further strengthen system flow, the service is expanding from 24 to 48 beds. This expansion is supported by an uplift in workforce, including an increase in clinical leadership and the addition of a dedicated service manager, alongside expanded allied health input.

Through these measures, the TCS is delivering high-quality, efficient, and appropriate care while supporting broader health system objectives to reduce ambulance ramping and improve hospital access.

The Department for Health and Wellbeing are working closely with the AMA in the development of a shared action plan to deliver practical solutions across the South Australian healthcare system that will support the interface between acute hospital care and primary health care.

This action plan will include opportunities for increased collaboration on key improvement areas including access to information for general practice, navigation to out of hospital services, outpatient reform, and virtual and in-home care for residents in aged-care homes.