- Modernised contract with St John WA to bolster ambulance response capabilities
- Additional 31 paramedics for the regions and 34 paramedics for metro area
- Enhanced and enforceable Key Performance Indicators to boost accountability
- Incentives to appropriately triage patients to reduce unnecessary ED presentations
- Part of the McGowan Government's commitment to improving ambulance services
St John WA has been awarded a new five-year contract to deliver ambulance services in the State, under a modernised agreement to improve response capabilities and performance.
In a new era of ambulance services for the State, the contract, which begins on 1 January 2023, has been contemporised in line with other public private partnership agreements to ensure it meets Western Australia's needs now and into the future.
The contract includes additional funding for 34 extra paramedics in the metropolitan area, as well as 31 extra paramedics in the regions which increases the number of paramedics in the bush by more than 25 per cent. This delivers on the McGowan Government's election commitment of an additional 18 paramedics in the regions.
Enhanced Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), enforceable through financial penalties, have also been introduced as part of the highly detailed contract. The KPIs include meeting response time targets of 90 per cent for priority 1, 2 and 3 callouts.
The Extended Transfer of Care payment ceases under the new contract and instead new performance mechanisms have been introduced to ensure that patients are appropriately triaged to reduce unnecessary emergency department (ED) presentations.
The Government will also have greater powers to audit and inspect services to address performance issues and boost collaboration, following the lasting successes of the multi-agency response introduced during the COVID-19 Omicron outbreak.
As stated by Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson:
"The McGowan Government, through our response to the Public Administration Standing Committee, has outlined a detailed plan to improve ambulance services for the entire State.
"As part of this extensive reform, one of my priorities has been to develop a contemporised contract with St John WA to better meet the needs of the Western Australian community.
"Through productive negotiations, I am pleased to be able to deliver this new contract, with the support of WA Health and St John WA, for the people of our State.
"This new contemporary contract boosts paramedic numbers, increases accountability, and encourages the reduction of unnecessary ED presentations, where clinically appropriate."
