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.
Authorised by Paul Ekkelboom AEA General Secretary