St John to recruit additional ambulance staff

St John to recruit additional ambulance staff in key locations

St John has approved funding for 57 additional paid ambulance staff in a number of locations across New Zealand. This amounts to a commitment of $4 million, from fundraising and commercial activities.

Last year St John completed detailed analysis to understand how its current ambulance resources (vehicles and rostered personnel) matched with actual patient demand (for emergency ambulance transport, non-transport and patient transfer services).

This work identified the need to fill resource gaps and to make a number of staff roster changes, which are currently underway.

In response, the organisation has approved funding for 57 additional paid ambulance staff in a number of locations across New Zealand. This amounts to a commitment of $4 million, from fundraising and commercial activities.

Peter Bradley, St John Chief Executive said today “The benefits to patients will be more effective services and more efficient response times. It’s another step to achieving our ambition of right care, right time.”

“This initiative is the first part of a five year workforce plan, which is also to support full crewing. The additional 57 resources will go to Auckland and Christchurch, Waihi, Temuka, Hamilton, Whangarei, Alexandra, Picton, Rotorua, and Feilding. We will begin recruitment as soon as possible and will aim to have 20 staff on board by 1 July 2014 and the remaining 37 staff by January 2015.”

In addition to this commitment, St John is investing half a million dollars in a volunteer sustainability strategy – to help meet the challenges of recruiting and retaining valuable and essential volunteers.

“All these elements reflect St John’s commitment to informed workforce planning - to respond to demand, to deliver a good value, sustainable service and to be able to deliver the best possible patient care,” said Mr Bradley.

The resources will go to the following areas:
Auckland 19
Christchurch 10
Fielding 2
Rotorua 2
Picton 1
Alexandra 2
Whangarei 2
Hamilton 2
Temuka 2
Waihi 2
Along with another 13 to provide relief cover – 7 across Auckland, Whangarei and Waihi; 2 in the central North Island and 4 in the South Island.

ENDS

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