A new State Health Coordination Centre (SHCC) is scheduled to commence operations in mid-January. Located at the SA Ambulance Service Headquarters in Richmond Road, Mile End South, the facility is designed to provide 24/7 oversight of the state's health system. Its objective is to enhance patient movement and hospital efficiency.
The SHCC integrates experienced clinical staff with paramedics to facilitate collaborative problem identification and resource deployment. Supported by predictive data and analytics, the centre offers continuous visibility into patient flow across various health system components. These include ambulance services, emergency departments, inpatient wards, inter-hospital transfers, regional patient repatriations, and complex patient discharges.
The centre's methodology involves combining data insights with clinical expertise to identify systemic issues and patterns. This approach aims to foster a more coordinated statewide patient flow strategy and contribute to overall system learning and improvements.
Initially established in 2023 at Tonsley, co-located with the SA Virtual Care Service, the SHCC is relocating to its purpose-built site at the SA Ambulance Service Precinct this month. Working in conjunction with the SA Ambulance Service and Local Health Networks, the SHCC's near real-time system flow dashboards receive approximately 1,500 views daily. The centre has facilitated the interfacility transfer process for nearly 50,000 patients statewide, aiming to ensure safe and efficient patient movement between health services.
The establishment of the new coordination centre coincides with South Australia experiencing its highest annual number of influenza cases on record. In 2025, over 36,000 flu cases were recorded, an increase from 22,936 cases in 2024. While influenza cases typically peak in winter, South Australia has observed an unseasonal rise in notifications, primarily attributed to the Influenza A strain. This trend has been noted nationwide.
Data for the week ending December 27 indicated 465 new flu cases and 51 hospitalizations in South Australia. Throughout 2025, there were 3,614 hospitalizations due to influenza.
South Australia holds the highest flu vaccination rate among mainland states, with 34.9% of the population vaccinated as of October 2025, a slight increase compared to the same period in 2024. In alignment with national health advice, South Australia provides free flu vaccines to at-risk populations. These groups include children under five, individuals over 65, pregnant women, Aboriginal people, and those with underlying health conditions.
Influenza presentations contribute to increased pressure on hospitals. Ambulances recorded 3,983 hours of ramping outside metropolitan hospitals in December. Overall emergency department presentations increased by 6% compared to the same period in the previous year. Currently, 353 elderly patients are medically cleared for discharge from metropolitan hospitals and other SA Health sites but are awaiting placement in a federally funded aged care facility.
In December, ambulances met the target 8-minute response time for 71.2% of Priority 1 cases. This compares to 47.1% in January 2022. For Priority 2 cases, 57.9% were reached within the target 16-minute timeframe in November, up from 36.2% in January 2022.