Miss Jo Gallagher1, Mr Peter Davis1, Mr Andrew Graham1, Mr Johnny Mulheron1
1Hato Hone St John, , New Zealand
Between 2016-2021, Hato Hone St John increased the number of paid ambulance personnel from 1,161 to 1,678 to ensure double crewing of all emergency ambulances nationally. This consumed the existing workforce pipeline and created a staff deficit of approximately 10.4%.
The need for a diversified workforce pipeline was confirmed when the gaps created in our workforce by unfilled newly funded roles was coupled with the emergence of COVID-19, Paramedic Registration, and other workforce attrition. We elected to create a fast-tracked New Zealand Diploma in Ambulance programme to complement the existing academic pathways.
The Residential Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Programme launched in September 2021 with an initial 69 new recruits. This was followed in March 2022 with a further 124 new recruits.
As of February 2023, a total of 163 new staff have graduated from the Residential EMT Programme, reducing the EMT second crew vacancy across Hato Hone St John by 8.2% to 3.2%, an historic low.
The introduction of a full-time Residential EMT programme during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowed Hato Hone St John to rapidly increase the qualified ambulance workforce.
Currently, 9.9% of all the paid frontline ambulance roles at Hato Hone St John (across all practice levels) have originated from the Residential EMT Programme, an outstanding achievement for the organisation. Not only did the Residential EMT Programme exceed expectations for the numbers of successful graduates, but it has become an integral part of our range of initiatives to ‘turn-the-tide’ of wider workforce challenges.
Biography:
I am paramedic, Registered Nurse and the Clinical Support Manager – South, Hato Hone St John, responsible for the delivery of foundation training, the Clinical Hub and continuing clinical education. I have held multiple roles in both clinical settings and management positions with a focus on Infection prevention and control and am passionate about building strong team environments.