Ambulance services, rescue helicopters waiting to see exact Budget divvy up

If money was unlimited, we could work out ways to spend it...it feels like the right amount at the right time

Road and air ambulance services are waiting to see exactly how much money they’ll each receive from Budget 2022.

Road ambulance services and communications will receive $166 million over four years. In a statement, health minister Andrew Little says the funding will add 48 ambulances and 13 other vehicles to the fleet, and nearly 250 extra paramedics and frontline staff. That includes 22 staff in the 111 communications centre.

“This extra funding will ensure we continue to have a safe, effective and sustainable emergency ambulance service,” Mr Little says.

Nearly $91 million over four years will be given to air ambulance services so they can continue to be available as demand increases.  This includes the replacement of some ageing aircraft with modern fit for purpose helicopters and at least one new helicopter with additional crew.

“Very positive and very favourable.” That’s the reaction of Craig Gibbons to the funding boost. He is the chief executive of Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust and Northland Rescue Helicopters.

It is a very busy sector, which is going through reforms and seeing increasing numbers of patients year-on-year, Mr Gibbons says.

“More support is a fabulous way to protect New Zealanders.” However, he’s not sure how much money will be allocated to the two organisations he leads.

Bids for the two organisations have been submitted to the National Ambulance Sector Office, which is in the Ministry of Health. It seems the bids are being seriously considered, Mr Gibbons says.

The full bid will be confirmed by the end of July, he says.

“If money was unlimited, we could work out ways to spend it with Rolls Royce and gold-plated services”. However, “It feels like the right amount at the right time,” Mr Gibbons says.

The funding model has changed over the years, moving from mainly community funding to now the majority of funding coming from the Ministry of Health and ACC, he says.

“I think they’re getting the model right. It needs finite funding.”.

The two chopper services are treating 2500 patients a year across two bases, but they are not the biggest services in the country; as many patients in Auckland and Whangārei get road ambulances first. The biggest service is the central North Island.

However, the largest Māori population is in Northland, which has many small, spread-out communities, so there is usually an average of seven jobs each day, Mr Gibbons says.

St John chief executive Peter Bradley says the organisation has faced “unprecedented demand” on its ambulance service in recent years, which has been compounded by the pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic. The service has appreciated the support of the public, its partners and the Government during this time, Mr Bradley says.

“We welcome the Budget announcement of additional funding for the ambulance sector and are still working through the details with its funders, the ministry and ACC, of what this means for St John. He says once the full details are understood, St John will be happy to provide more information.

In the meantime, the service continues to work with its funders on coming to an agreement on a new four-year contract to run the emergency ambulance service commencing 1 July.

Wellington Free Ambulance senior communications manager Rachel Wilson says the service doesn’t know anything more about the funding except what has been announced by the minister.

The funding is for ambulance services nationally, so they need to know how that will be divided between Wellington Free Ambulance and St John, Ms Wilson says.