Freedom of Information

As well as the application fee, fees may also apply for processing your application (if you are not entitled to a waiver).

FOI application fee: $42.00

Search fees

• Personal affairs applications, two hours (free of charge), $15.90 per each additional 15 minutes
• Other applications or cases $15.90 per 15 minutes

Other charges:

• Photocopying – $0.25 per page
• Transcripts – $9.35 per page

If you are the holder of a current concession card, or if you can satisfy our agency that the payment of the fee or change would cause financial hardship, we are required to waive or remit (reduce or refund) the application fee. If you are a concession card holder you will need to provide our agency with evidence. For example, by attaching a copy of your concession card to your FOI application. Alternatively you will need to provide written reasons as to why the payment of a fee or change would cause you financial hardship.

After receiving your application, our agency is required to process it in accordance with the requirements of the FOI Act and provide you with a written decision. This is called a Notice of Determination. The Notice of Determination will include our decision in relation to your request and, if access has been refused in full or in part, and the reasons why this has occurred. Our agency will advise you of your rights of review and appeal if you are unhappy with the determination.

A request for access will be dealt with as soon as practicable. In certain circumstances we may extend the time frame for dealing with your application. We will advise you within 20 calendar days if an extension is necessary, and why. If we have not extended the time frame for dealing with your application and you do not receive a determination within 30 calendar days you are entitled to lodge an application for review. For further information please contact our Freedom of Information office.

Determined: 30/11/2022

“I am seeking statistics relating to patients waiting at least two hours to be transferred off-stretchers into the care of the Emergency Department between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020. I am also seeking the document relating at least two hours to be transferred off-stretchers into the care of the Emergency Department since January 1, 2021. This is to be provided in a spreadsheet rather than patient records.”

Determined: 07/12/2022

“1. It is understood that unpaid ambulance transport bills are forwarded to the Fines Enforcement and Recovery Unit for collection. I seek access to the agreement (in force) between the SAAS and the Fines Enforcement and Recovery Unit. 2. On page 41 of the 2018/19 SAAS Annual Report it mentions that SAAS has in place a procedure for cases of financial hardship where no cover exists and a transport fee is payable. I seek access to that procedure, or if it has been updated, the latest version of if. 3. On page 17 of the 2016/17 SAAS Annual Report it mentions a “business improvement and efficiency review” and an “Independent review of the Ambulance Cover Scheme”. I seek access to these two documents. 4. On page 57 of the 2015/16 SAAS Annual Report it mentions a “Financial Review of the revenue funding model” and an “Independent review of the Ambulance Cover Scheme”. I seek access to these two documents. It is noted that the “Independent review of the Ambulance Cover Scheme” mentioned in 3 and 4 above may be the same document developed under a consultancy contract spanning two years.”

Determined: 31/01/2023

“Documents, specifically reports, ministerial briefing notes and attachments, reviews, audits, relating to the following: Off stretcher times for Ambulance Emergency Priority 1 and 2 patients. Timeframe: From 1 January, 2020 to the date of this application (3 December 2021). I expect to capture statistics each year respectively, along with any ministerial briefings notes/audits and overall reports on the subject matter. Please limit searches to just the Director-General and Deputy Director-General/s. Please exclude duplicates, documents that have already been captured, media reports/statements/articles and correspondence with media. If emails are captured, please limit to the final thread of the conversation. Please note, I do not consent to information in documents being deemed irrelevant without consultation. However, I do consent to personal information of third parties being redacted.”

Determined: 16/02/2023

“Briefings, minutes, reports, correspondence and any other documents regarding the review of the SAAS Code of Conduct (including amendments made or proposed to the Code), since March 2022.”

Determined: 20/02/2023

“SAAS Performance Data Report on hours lost due to Transfer of Care Delays in the month of December 2022 broken down by Hospital and Local Health Network.”

Determined: 29/03/2023

“Please provide all documents, including but not limited to emails, text messages, and any other forms of correspondence regarding data associated with number of patients who have received in-home ambulance services and subsequently transferred to hospital as a result of the call out. 21/03/2022 – 06/02/2023.”

Determined: 03/04/2023

“A statistical breakdown of the number of emergency ambulance call outs for each month during the period 1 January 2018 to 19 January 2023 stratified by:

• Patient age;
• Priority code number; and
• Response time.”

Determined: 03/04/2023

“SA Ambulance Performance Data Reporting including: – Monthly Response Time Performance (Priority 1, Priority 2) – Monthly Response Time Target Performance (Priority 3, 4 & 5) – Monthly Triple Zero Call Volume vs % Answered in 10 Seconds. 21/03/2022 – 09/02/2023”

Determined: 12/04/2023

“I am seeking access to documents, specifically de-identified compensation claims by ambulance officers/paramedics since 23 Feb, 2021 to the date of this application. Please also provide statistics of how many claims, the value of claims made, and how much was paid out, each year for the past two years. As per previous applications, I’m also seeking access to documents, preferably a spreadsheet, showing a breakdown of each claim with the following parameters: – Injury date – Accepted/Denied claim status – Physical/psychological injury type – Injury mechanism description – Claim cost. Please exclude duplicates, documents that have already been publicly released, media statements/reports/articles and correspondence with media. 23/02/2021 – 23/02/2023.”

Determined: 12/04/2023

“Copies of internally published SAAS reports regarding monthly ambulance response times since 21 March 2022. 21/03/2022 – 15/02/2023”

Determined: 01/05/2023

“A list of current and past accredited FOI officers in SAAS, including but not limited to employment title, date of accreditation, certificate of accreditation, employment classification. 21/03/2022 – 05/03/2023.”

Determined: 01/05/2023

“SAAS Performance Data Report on hours lost due to Transfer of Care Delays in the month of February 2023 broken down by Hospital and Local Health Network.”

Determined: 01/05/2023

“Copies of the TB-AEA-001 AEA Monthly Data Pack. 21/03/2022 – 17/03/2023”

Determined: 10/05/2023

“Copy of vaccination policies for SAAS paid paramedics and volunteer paramedics. 21/03/2022 – 12/04/2023”

Determined: 19/05/2023

“Please provide all documents, including but not limited to emails, text messages, and any other forms of correspondence regarding SAAS policies and/or communications to staff regarding in-home ambulance services. 21/03/2022 – 06/02/2023”

Determined: 13/06/2023

“Copies of the TBA-AEA-001 AEA Monthly Data Pack from 18/03/2023 to 09/05/2023”

Determined: 13/06/2023

“SAAS Performance Data Report on hours lost due to Transfer of Care Delays in the months of March 2023 and April 2023 broken down from Hospital and Local Health Network from 01/03/2023 to 09/05/2023.”

Determined: 14/06/2023

“Complete list of operational Ambulance vehicle identification codes (for example PP181), please include vehicle model, year of production, associated ambulance station and administrative region. 16/03/2023 – 23/03/2023”

Determined: 17/07/2023

“Briefings, minutes, reports, correspondence and any other documents regarding Ambulance Response Times since 21 March 2022.”

Determined: 28/07/2023

“[The applicant] is seeking copies of the following South Australian Ambulance Service documents: – All policies, procedures and any other documentation relating to patient accounts. This should include any policies and procedures relating to hardship requests and payment arrangements.”

Determined: 20/02/2024

“Creation of a document outlining the following: Between 20/03/22 and 19/12/23, the number of people triaged by SA Ambulance Service call centre as being priority 1 and priority 2 cases who died after requesting an ambulance, where the ambulance took longer than targeted response times (8 minutes for priority 1, 16 minutes for priority 2) for those cases. Data to be presented showing date of death, suburb, priority 1 or 2, how long each person waited for an ambulance and cause of death. Separate document to be created outlining the number of patients who died during a “delayed transfer of care” (ramping) incident from 20/3/22 and 19/12/23. Data to be presented showing date of death, priority of response, how long the person had been “ramped”, which hospital the patient was ramped at and cause of death.”