Staff and supporters contacted the Otago Daily Times yesterday to express their concerns about the organisation’s "double crew programme" proposals, saying they could actually harm rather than save more patients.
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St John is conducting a consultation process on implementation of the programme locally with South Otago stakeholders, as part of a nationwide review.
The programme aims to ensure all emergency road ambulance callouts are double-crewed with professional paramedics by 2021.
Milton St John station officer of 25 years Malcolm Flett told the ODT although he supported double-crewing as best practice, putting it into effect in South Otago would leave services over-centralised in Balclutha.
"The proposal for this area is to redeploy the sole paid paramedic from Milton to Balclutha.
"That would leave those requiring a paramedic-staffed ambulance anywhere in the district having to wait for it to arrive from Balclutha, with all that entails in an emergency."
Although Mr Flett praised local St John volunteers for their dedication, he said they were limited in what they could be called upon to do.
"Volunteers need the support and leadership of a professional paramedic."
"It’s unfair to expect them to pick up the responsibility of running a station [like Milton] with 400-plus callouts a year, and unfair to the community who deserve the very best service St John can provide," Mr Flett said.
"It’s a one-size-fits-all national model that doesn’t fit here, unfortunately."
Crichton farmer and former Otago Regional Council chairman Stephen Woodhead was among community members who contacted the ODT with their concerns.
Mr Woodhead suffered a mild stroke in 2018, and said downgrading the Milton service would leave him vulnerable if he suffered a recurrence.
"A large rural district like Clutha needs two stations with paramedics available so they can provide adequate coverage, support for volunteers and back up.
"To downgrade the Milton service to a [first response] unit is not acceptable.
"The blunt facts are that first responders are not able to do much more than comfort you."
Mr Woodhead said the solution was not to "rob Peter to pay Paul", but instead to increase staffing at Milton.
"[St John should] put in place a second paid position at Milton who would work with and be supported by volunteers. Two employees at Milton supported by volunteers could provide 12-hour, seven-day-a-week coverage. This would provide the best service for our community and the wider district."
He said concerned parties could make a submission to the process by emailing hrcmt@stjohn.org.nz.
Contacted yesterday, St John provided rural Otago territory manager David Milne’s prepared statement.
"We are currently in discussions with our people on a proposal that will see more resources provided to double-crew ambulances in the area, and greater resilience with the addition of dedicated volunteer-led response capability. The consultation is ongoing and we will be able to share more once we have received feedback from our people."
