St John Ambulance WA contract renewed

St John Ambulance WA’s contract with the Department of Health has been extended until June 2022, using a new funding model.

The ambulance service will be funded in line with service demand, instead of with traditional block funding.

Health Minister Roger Cook said the new contract represented a significant shift in the way ambulance services were purchased in Western Australia.

Mr Cook said the contract was a move to a more modern and efficient performance-based model for metropolitan areas.

"Under the new model, St John Ambulance will be funded based on service demand, leaving it better placed to plan ahead and invest in new ambulances as required,” Mr Cook said.

A St John Ambulance WA spokesperson said they were pleased to have reached an agreement with the Department of Health to extend the contract, which included a future funding mechanism aligned to increases in service demand.

“This is significant as it very much paves the way for a longer term contract on expiry of the current extension,” the spokesperson said.

More to come.