SA Ambulance Patient Transport Services manage the response and transport of elective, non-emergency, and low acuity patients.
Patient Transport Services primarily respond to low acuity cases and transfers but may be tasked to support Emergency crews as required. Key services include:
- Inter-hospital transfers
- Transferring patients returning from hospital to homes or care facilities
- Transport for outpatient appointments
- Royal Flying Doctor Service transfers
- Mental Health transfers
- Palliative care transports
- Long distance transfers – utilising the SA Ambulance Bus (AMBus) or twin carry ambulance with specialty trained PTS staff.
More broadly, our Non-Emergency Operations manage the response and transport of elective, non-emergency, and low acuity patients.
As well as our Patient Transport Service (PTS) we have an Emergency Support Service, Bariatric Emergency Support Service and Mental Health Emergency Support Service.
Emergency Support Services (ESS)
Emergency Support Services respond to medium acuity cases in the community. Key services include:
- Attending to patients at home, residential care facilities and public places for non-life-threatening cases (such as falls, fractures, minor infections, and mental health patients in the community)
- Royal Flying Doctor Service transfers
- Providing support to emergency crews as required
Bariatric Emergency Support Services
The Bariatric workgroup is a specialised emergency support services sub-group focused on bariatric patients. This workgroup is specially trained in difficult and complex extrication and transport of bariatric patients utilising specialised equipment.
The bariatric team is mainly dispatched to scheduled appointments and transfers including patients at care facilities, homes or in the community. They can also respond to cases when patient maximum weights are exceeded or for difficult extrication where special equipment is required.
Mental Health ESS
The Mental Health ESS workgroup specialises in mental health transport for detained and restrained patients, or those who pose a high risk of violence or abscondence. They are mainly involved in inter-hospital and Royal Flying Doctor Service transfers.