Ambulance Employees Association

Ambulance Employees Association The AEA is South Australia’s union representing ambulance employees since 1981. Authorised P Ekkelboom

Authorised by Paul Ekkelboom, General Secretary Ambulance Employees Association of SA.

This afternoon there was significant ramping across metropolitan hospitals. SA Ambulance Service was forced to enact an ...
19/08/2026

This afternoon there was significant ramping across metropolitan hospitals. SA Ambulance Service was forced to enact an Incident Management Team due to its inability to send ambulances to triple zero calls.

At one point, more than 80 patients were left waiting for an ambulance, including around 40 priority cases. SAAS had to implement a "no-send" policy for some due to a lack of available ambulance resources, with crews stuck on ramps.

Ramping this winter remains among the worst on record. We are significantly concerned that this August will prove to be the worst on record due to insufficient hospital capacity, insufficient available crews and no clear policy to end ramping.

Despite additional capacity in the system, it is clearly not enough. Patients in the community are beginning to be left without an available ambulance when they call triple zero due to the continued practice of ramping.

Ramping is a policy choice. It is the consequence of insufficient investment in hospital capacity, patient flow, workforce growth and ambulance crews.

The time for band-aid measures is over. South Australia needs immediate and sustained investment in both hospitals and ongoing ambulance crews to meet the ever growing demand and ensure they are available for our community when they need them most.

Our frontline workers deserve better. Most importantly, the South Australian community deserves better. Stop Managing the Crisis. Start Investing in the Solution.

Photo: Royal Adelaide Hospital 5pm Wednesday 19 August 2026

Today our General Secretary spoke with the ABC in response to the Liberal Party’s comments on Priority 3 and 4 response ...
16/07/2026

Today our General Secretary spoke with the ABC in response to the Liberal Party’s comments on Priority 3 and 4 response times. The AEA supports raising community awareness on how our health system is performing with all response times across every priority category. This will help the community see where real improvements are happening and where they need to continue happening.
The 2022 election investment was vital, but it only lifted the ambulance service to meet 2022–23 demand. The data is clear: when governments invest, response times improve. When investment stalls, performance stalls too.
South Australians deserve an ambulance service that keeps pace with rising demand, not one that’s constantly catching up. The AEA will keep pushing for the staffing, funding, and system capacity needed to deliver safe, timely care for every patient.

🚑 Happy International Paramedics Day!Today's theme, Innovate & Integrate, recognises the way paramedics continue to evol...
08/07/2026

🚑 Happy International Paramedics Day!

Today's theme, Innovate & Integrate, recognises the way paramedics continue to evolve to meet the needs of their communities.

Across South Australia, our members have expanded well beyond the traditional ambulance response. They are delivering community paramedicine, supporting remote and regional communities, providing virtual care through phone and video consultations, and playing an increasingly important role in primary healthcare.

But at our core, we are still there for South Australians in their time of need - providing critical and emergency care when it matters most.

None of this happens alone. Behind every paramedic and ambulance officer is a highly skilled team of emergency call takers, dispatchers, educators, mechanics, support staff and leaders helping ensure patients receive the care they need.

The AEA is proud to represent our members and will continue advocating for the advancement of the profession, expanded scope of practice, and better tools and support so they can continue delivering care to South Australians wherever they live.

To all our members, thank you for the work you do every day.
❤️💛🚑

17/06/2026

The AEA is deeply concerned by the Government’s recently announced public sector employment freeze and its impact on SA Ambulance Service’s ability to deliver a safe ambulance service to the community of South Australia.

While frontline roles have reportedly been exempted, the Government has not confirmed that SAAS support roles will also be protected.

Frontline ambos can only do their job safely because of the enormous work of the critical support teams behind them.

Triple Zero call takers, ambulance mechanics, education and training staff, statewide rostering teams, dispatch support, technical support, ICT, infrastructure, security, wellbeing, compliance, leadership and administrative support roles are not optional. These are the people who answer emergency calls, keep ambulances roadworthy, train and support clinicians, fill rosters, maintain systems, and keep the ambulance service operating safely across the state.

Freezing these roles risks pushing already stretched teams even further, increasing pressure on frontline staff, and compromising the systems that support emergency ambulance response across our state.

Ambulance services do not run on clinicians alone. The Government must reconsider any employment freeze that places our members’ health and safety, and the South Australian public, at risk.

30/04/2026

Our thoughts are with the Victorian paramedic who was injured as a result of violence and aggression today.

We hope for their full recovery, and this incident serves as an important reminder that violence against paramedics and all frontline workers is never acceptable.

Everyone deserves to return home from work safely and without harm.

The AEA stands in solidarity with our colleagues and the members of the Victorian Ambulance Union during this difficult time.

Address

13 Hindmarsh Place
Hindmarsh, SA
5007

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Friday 8:30am - 3pm

Telephone

+61883403511

Website

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