MORE SUPERSTATIONS AND PARAMEDICS TO BOOST SYDNEY’S AMBULANCE COVERAGE

Sydney’s ambulance services will be boosted by a NSW Government investment in four more metropolitan superstations and 27 extra paramedic specialists. 

Additional NSW Ambulance superstations will be built at Artarmon, Caringbah, Northmead and in Sydney’s inner west as part of the NSW Government’s $150 million Sydney Ambulance Metropolitan Infrastructure Strategy (SAMIS) – the most significant investment in Sydney’s paramedic infrastructure in NSW Ambulance’s history.

 To support the new superstations, the Government will immediately fast-track recruitment of 27 extended care and intensive care paramedics at a cost of $5.1 million. This comes on top of the $1.5 million already released in 2015/16 to recruit eight specialist paramedics.

 Health Minister Jillian Skinner was joined by NSW Ambulance Chief Executive Dominic Morgan and local MPs Geoff Lee (Parramatta) and Mark Taylor (Seven Hills) at the site of the future Northmead superstation, where preliminary works will begin later this year.

 “These four new superstations for Sydney come on top of the initial five superstations. Our hardworking paramedics will be better supported in modern facilities to deliver high-quality mobile emergency medical care,” Mrs Skinner said.

 “We are delivering our election commitment to employ 35 full-time specialist paramedics, who will help free up emergency response paramedics and assist low-risk patients with minor illness and injuries over the busy winter months.”

 Mr Morgan said the investment marks one of the biggest shifts in the ambulance network.

 “These superstations will help build the NSW Ambulance network Sydney needs to meet future demands for its services. Under this new and smarter deployment system, paramedics can standby at any of our smaller stations, called Paramedic Response Points, allowing them to be better placed to respond to emergency incidents,” Mr Morgan said. 

A superstation is a key hub where staff, vehicles and operational management teams will be based. Support staff will assist paramedics to clean and restock vehicles and training and administrative support will also be available.

 Construction is progressing on the five previously announced NSW Ambulance superstations at Bankstown, Blacktown, Kogarah, Liverpool and Penrith, which will be completed next year. Paramedic Response Point sites and further superstations will be announced as the five-year SAMIS program rolls out.