75 percent of St John’s emergency service operating costs are funded by the New Zealand Government through the Ministry of Health and ACC, while the other 25 percent comes from ambulance charges and public fundraising. This current level of funding is in no way sustainable. With a fully funded service the current wage of paramedics will be increased, this will mean that a greater number of qualified and more experienced paramedics will be on crew. Higher ranking paramedics will result in double crew ambulances making the majority of ambulance transportation safer. Public funding coming to a halt will encourage people in unique communities across New Zealand to phone the emergency line ‘111’. Full Government funding equals a viable emergency service.                                                                                    

          Undoubtedly, paramedics in New Zealand have a low income. For the overwhelming number of hours, shifts and the job itself, it is completely undeniable that that the wage paramedics are currently receiving is too insufficient. Shockingly, New Zealand is the only first world country that does not have the luxury of having an ambulance service that is entirely funded by the government. Often, the question inquired is “Why?”. Why isn’t a service so essential to humans wellbeing across the country not fully funded? The Government has the capability and potential to, but simply will not. St John ambulance service transports and treats over 400,000 New Zealanders every year, with a total of 600 operational vehicles and 205 ambulance stations. Paramedics making the system inside and outside of these vehicles function properly train for three years before officially working in the ambulance. They work 12 hour shifts, sometimes barely getting a break after eight to nine hours of relentless working. This shows the intensity of the job, commitment required and time sacrificed. Paramedics can earn annual money from anywhere between 45k - 75k, however; some of these staff members only get paid $19 an hour which is completely unacceptable considering the equivalent can be earned in a McDonald’s Drive Thru. Being a paramedic is physically and mentally draining. Paramedics are well deserving of a decent pay.

          If the New Zealand ambulance becomes a fully funded emergency service, certain working positions taken by experienced paramedics will be secure and reliable. They currently do not receive enough money to offer qualified paramedics what they should be paid, which results in a number of non-paid first aid volunteer staff. The ambulance staff are represented by a mix of qualified, experienced paramedics and volunteer staff. As an example, statistics collected in 2008 in New Zealand show that 2211 paid staff worked alongside 7647 volunteers. This can be seen as an over reliance on volunteers to provide New Zealand communities with quality health care. Working volunteers only medical knowledge is of the basic first aid skills. Their job is important but should be covered by a paramedic with a proper qualification. Volunteers are only volunteers and therefore do not have a permanent job, they can leave without warning leaving a gap in the ambulance that somehow needs to be filled. Increasing the number of qualified paramedics will ensure certain sustainability within the staff. For this to be achievable, first the emergency service needs to have 100% funds from the Government.

          Double crewing allows for patients to have constant care during transportation in an ambulance. At this rate, being so low on ambulance staff this is not an option and has not been for a while to date. Ambulances can have a number of one or two crew members but with a poor service short on staff, majority of our ambulances are run by a single crew member. Double crewing is when there are two ambulance staff in the vehicle. They provide continuous care and safety as one can drive and be emergency back up support and the other can focus their full attention to the patient. With single crewing, there is a higher chance of an error occurring. Not only can it cause potential harm on the patient, it can be dangerous for the paramedic too as they can obtain serious work related injuries. As an example, stretcher lifting can inflict stress and immense pain to the back belonging to a paramedic. This can have the ability to last a lifetime, controlling how they perform their job and when they can and cannot work, all because they were on the job alone. Approximately 40,000 callouts every year, out of a total of 400,000 are attended by a paramedic working alone. This is not a safe way of managing our emergency service. Staffing costs are currently 45.5 million dollars and in order to enforce double crew ambulances the costing will need to increase by 36 percent.

          Someday, if the funding of New Zealand’s ambulance service was to change the encouragement of people across the country to call 111 would be positively impacted. Due to the current amount of funding, public donations of around $100 are forced upon members who phone the emergency line. $100 is a large amount of money to many people in New Zealand who would rather spend it on necessities they need. This creates a barrier. Either receive the help needed but pay a donation of $100 or do not receive the help needed and save $100. In often cases the second option is superior to the first. Sadly these people suffer the consequences of deciding not to call. Once the Government makes a decision that seems superior to the public of New Zealand people will be encouraged to call, ultimately reducing the risks of their health and saving lives.

          “Although we will always fundraise for our community health programmes, we want this to be the last annual appeal where we have to ask the public to donate money to run an essential emergency service”, Peter Bradley, a New Zealand paramedic. Obvious and clear reasoning shows the many efficient benefits of having a fully funded service. Over 4 years of continuous asking of 350 million dollars it has not been granted. If we want positive changes in our emergency healthcare, a fully funded service is the solution but it all comes down to the Government.