St John Ambulance Western Australia
St John Ambulance provides the statutory ambulance service in Western Australia.[1]This service is provided through a combination of paid and volunteer staff. Paid ambulance officers and paramedics are used in the metropolitan areas and larger regional centres. Volunteer ambulance officers are used in regional areas and some outer metropolitan areas.
Aeromedical role is offered by RAC Rescue with 2 Bell 412's based out of Perth and Bunbury
Criticisms
In July 2009, the ABC's Four Corners broadcast a report identifying failures in St John's call-out system, specifically the failure of call centre operators to appropriately prioritise and respond ambulances.[2] The program identified four deaths in which dispatch and prioritisation errors were involved. The WA Health Minister, Dr Kim Hames, has since promised to review "reports of significant wrongdoing, and see if it is correct" in order to prevent recurrence of such events.[3]
On 24 March 2015, the ABC's 7.30 reported on poor management and culture within St John in Western Australia which led am ambulance officer to commit suicide.[4]
External links
References
- ^ "St John Ambulance Western Australia". St John Ambulance Australia. Retrieved 28 April 2009.
- ^ "Out of Time". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 8 July 2009.
- ^ "Four Corners Program Transcript". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 8 July 2009.
- ^ "Families of paramedics who took their own lives call for action from St John Ambulance in WA". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 24 March 2016.