St John sets record straight
by Staff Reporters
Friday, 11 May, 2007
The Gisborne Herald would like to correct inaccuracies in a report in Wednesday’s paper on St John ambulance resource levels in Gisborne, and to apologise to St John and spokesman Brent Nielsen.
We accept that information provided to us by St John Midland regional operations manager Brent Nielsen was provided in good faith and is correct — that is, that Gisborne’s rate of single-crewing in ambulances is in line with the national average.
We regret repeating unchallenged an allegation from National Distribution Union spokesman Neil Chapman that a significantly higher percentage of ambulance callouts in Gisborne are attended by a single crew member.
St John’s position on single-crewing — stated publicly on several occasions — is that all emergency ambulance calls should be responded to by a vehicle with two ambulance officers, and that to achieve this St John needs increased resources, including increased full-time paid staff and volunteers.
"Where St John responds to an emergency with an ambulance with a single crew member, it is not a matter of choice — it is a matter of available resources," says St John external communications manager Ali Tocker.
"St John believes it is appropriate in these situations to respond with a single-crewed vehicle rather than responding with no vehicle at all or waiting for one to come from a greater distance."
• St John also wants to correct a statement in last night’s paper by Mayor Meng Foon, reported from the Waerenga-o-kuri long-term community plan meeting.
Mr Foon said St John planned to "downgrade" staffing by having ambulances staffed by "just the driver" instead of by a paramedic and driver.
"We want to reassure the public that all staff crewing St John ambulances have medical skills," Ali Tocker said.
