The Western Australia Government has announced the planned recruitment of an additional 309 paramedics and officers over the next four years following a review of the state’s St John ambulance services.

 

Health Minister Kim Hames released the ‘St John Ambulance Inquiry - implementation of recommendations completion report’, which made 13 key recommendations.

 

“All 13 recommendations made in the initial independent review have been addressed, resulting in everything from new IT systems to more staff, more ambulances and new safety and quality monitoring…”

 

To date, four new depots have been opened, 22 new ambulances and patient transport vehicles have hit the road, 79 new paramedics had been recruited and 24 new communication officers had started work.

 

“This is in addition to 12 community paramedics who have joined the regional workforce out of a total of 39 to be recruited, and 46 new patient transport officers who will help take pressure off the ambulance service,” Dr Hames said.

 

The report also revealed:

  • 12 ambulances and 10 patient transport vehicles will be introduced across WA in the next three years
  • sentinel events are now reported to the Department of Health, in line with requirements of public hospitals
  • the introduction of community paramedics to regional areas
  • a new online complaint management system to improve communication for patients
  • a HealthDirect nurse has been based at the St John Ambulance head office in Belmont to assist with non-urgent inquiries.


The new resources to date include:

 

Depots

  • Ellenbrook, operating since March
  • Dawesville - to open in May
  • Mandurah - fully-staffed and upgraded in December, 2010
  • Serpentine - to open in May

 

Ambulances

  • 12 new ambulances and 10 patient transport vehicles have joined the metropolitan fleet

 

Paramedics

  • 10 in Mandurah
  • crews due to go to Ellenbrook, Kewdale, Landsdale, Armadale, Cockburn, Joondalup, Kwinana, Serpentine and Mandurah in May

 

Community paramedics

  • one community paramedic each to Karratha, Newman and Kununurra
  • an additional nine are being recruited for Katanning, Manjimup, Esperance, Carnarvon, Wickham, Karratha, Wyndham, Merredin and Narrogin, with two to be located in Broome

 

Patient transport officers

  • 14 new officers entering the metropolitan service.