ambulance services business plan: 2017–2020 · 2. implement a secondary triage/referral model...

Ambulance Services Business Plan: 2017–2020 St John Ambulance Australia (NT) Inc.

FOCUS AREA 1 Our people and community

FOCUS AREA 2 Innovating to improve healthcarev

FOCUS AREA 3 Partnerships

FOCUS AREA 4 Health care services

FOCUS AREA 5 Service improvement PRIORITY 1 – Provide optimum resource deployment and patient focused clinical care

PRIORITY 2 – Provide an organisational structure that supports organisational objectives

PRIORITY 3 – Improve organisational governance

PRIORITY 4 – Ensure a safe working environment

PRIORITY 5 – Enhance workforce planning and support

PRIORITY 6 – Enhance infrastructure development

PRIORITY 7 – Develop effective partnerships with stakeholders

PRIORITY 8 – Maximise the benefits of technology

PRIORITY 9 – Ensure fiscal discipline and accountability

Contents

Ambulance Services Business Plan

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

11

12

12

13

13

St John Ambulance Australia (NT) Inc.


To be the leading provider of first aid and ambulance services in the Northern Territory

Our Mission

Our Goals

Our Values


Make first aid a part of everybody’s lifeThe first choice supplier of excellent first aid and ambulance services, training and productsAn innovative and reliable provider of community care and youth development programs

An exemplary employer of volunteers and staff

Integrity Acting honestly and reliably when delivering our servicesRespect Treat our people with respect at all times: ourselves, our colleagues,

our members and all the people we supportQuality Highest quality service delivery, training, development and clinical

standardsDedication Actions are undertaken with commitment, enthusiasm and loyalty

protecting our people our patients and the environment

Compassion Caring about all members of our diverse community

FOCUS AREA 1 Our people and community



OBJECTIVES PRIORITIES

A. To develop and enhance the culture of our people and community engagement across the organisation.

1. Encourage service through development of the vision of St John across the organisation.• Use consistent language to communicate our vision.• Discuss with ambulance service people the St John mission, strategy and values. (*Links to Voice Survey)

• Encourage a culture of learning at business unit meetings. (*Links to Voice Survey)

2. Provide improved opportunities for service through increased flexibility.• Foster within the Operational Leadership Group an environment of flexibility, responsiveness and adaptability. (*Links to Voice Survey)

• Review departmental workflows to create flexibility. (*Links to Voice Survey)

3. Building the capacity of our people through streamlined training and evaluation.• Explore development opportunities for our people throughout the organisation. Work towards providing an integrated

leadership development program. (*Links to Voice Survey)

4. Improve service delivery through digital innovation.• Encourage our people to identify ‘digital innovation’ solutions. (*Links to Voice Survey)

5. Engage with wider cross-section of the community in the mission of St John.• Seek opportunities to promote St John mission, values and services. (*Links to Voice Survey)

6. Supporting people and community through wellbeing initiatives.• Advocate and promote peer support, employee assistance and wellbeing initiatives. (*Links to Voice Survey)

• Promote events such as Road Safety awareness initiatives and the Towards Zero Action Plan.

7. Building a resilient workforce.• Provide a workplace environment that recognises resilience and encourages feedback from our people. (*Links to Voice Survey)

FOCUS AREA 2 Innovating to improve healthcare



A. Deliver effective and efficient services through innovative approaches.

1. Increase the reach and prevalence of first aid and ambulance services in the Northern Territory.• Connect with Marketing for first aid marketing material. (*Links to Voice Survey)

2. Facilitate extended service offerings through online engagement.• Freely provide our skills, knowledge and experience proactively to foster collaboration across departments. (*Links to

Voice Survey)

3. Improved utilisation of resources through systems optimisation.• Develop solutions that provide our people access to relevant operational information in accordance with the service

improvement plan. (*Links to Voice Survey)


FOCUS AREA 3 Partnerships



A. Improve healthcare for the community through partnerships with stakeholders founded on shared values.

1. Develop on-going partnerships with key government stakeholders.• Continue to seek and maintain partnerships with aligned organisations.

2. Be the provider of choice for first aid training.• Strengthen relationships with the Training Department. (*Links to Voice Survey)

3. Build partnerships with regional and remote communities.• Actively uphold and improve existing partnerships. (*Links to Voice Survey)

4. Engage with our people to efficiently improve service offerings.• Actively participate across departments to improve communication and partnerships. (*Links to Voice Survey)


FOCUS AREA 4 Health care services



A. To provide responsive world-class first aid and ambulance services.

1. Development and expansion of commercial healthcare pathways.• Seek opportunities to develop healthcare pathways.

2. Maintain sustainability of healthcare service offerings.• Deploy resourcing that better aligns to changing community needs in accordance with the service improvement plan

and available funding. (*Links to Voice Survey)



FOCUS AREA 5 Service improvement

OBJECTIVES STRATEGIES FOR ACTION

A. Deliver safe and high quality care to patients. 1. Our commitment is to “best practice” in healthcare. (*Links to Voice Survey) 2. Review the structure and function of Clinical Services to ensure it meets the needs of our people. (*Links to Voice Survey) 3. Seek to improve measures related to Cardiac Arrest, ACS, CVA and pain score. Monitor and report

through the Clinical Governance Framework. 4. Maximise resource availability through reduced case cycle time and minimised off stretcher delays. 5. Ensure that emergency preparedness is commensurate with Territory and national emergency

management arrangements. (*Links to Voice Survey) 6. Examine the current Patient Transport Services clinical care model. 7. Implement a training program for operational staff taking into account AtP accreditation and patient needs.

(*Links to Voice Survey)

B. Identify innovative models of service delivery and clinical care that is patient focused.

1. Develop strategies to improve data accuracy and completeness as a means of informing service improvements. (CAD and SIREN)

2. Work towards putting in place a system of triage to move low acuity work in a safe manner.3. Work towards implementing a single response/critical care support model.4. Explore opportunities to implement alternate care models. (*Links to Voice Survey)

5. Review the scope of practice of paramedic staff to identify opportunities for improvements in patient care. (*Links to Voice Survey)

6. Develop an escalation and surge strategy to ensure resource availability during peak utilisation.

C. Develop and implement systems to meet patient healthcare needs.

1. Develop care plans for complex patients in collaboration with other healthcare providers. Ensure patients’ needs are being met in the most appropriate way. (*Links to Voice Survey)

2. Implement a secondary triage/referral model that allows paramedic staff to safely refer patients not requiring immediate care to alternate care pathways.

3. Use a conservative risk management approach to review the Response Grid. (Review annually)

D. Determine and set appropriate registration/accreditation standards.

1. Ensure all staff who work operationally meet St John credentialing standards. (*Links to Voice Survey)

2. Prepare for paramedic registration. (*Links to Voice Survey)

3. Using IAED standards, seek to improve ECC performance. (*Links to Voice Survey)

PRIORITY 1 – Provide optimum resource deployment and patient focused clinical care



PRIORITY 2 – Provide an organisational structure that supports organisational objectives


A. Review organisational structure to ensure it is contemporary and supports our objectives.

1. Review Ambulance Services.

B. Review position descriptions to ensure they remain contemporary and support staff to achieve organisational objectives.

1. Station Officer:a) Review and develop a position description that promotes frontline management and staff support. b) Ensure role independence and accountability for daily ambulance operations including leadership and staff support. c) Ensure role accountability for human and physical resources.d) Ensure role accountability for the provision of advice and reporting to the respective RM.

2. Regional Manager:a) Review and develop a position description that ensures independence and accountability for the Southern and

Northern Operational Area’s.b) Ensure mentoring and support for SO/OIC’s is incorporated into the position description.c) Focuses on the provision of leadership and direction in the provision of ambulance services within an operational

environment.d) Focuses on the provision of operational and strategic advice to the Director of Ambulance Services to assist in the

efficient and effective delivery of ambulance services.

FOCUS AREA 5 Service improvementAmbulance Services Business Plan


PRIORITY 3 – Improve organisational governance


A. Review governance requirements. 1. Commit to the ongoing development of OLG governance.

2. Convene a Clinical Quality committee and ensure representation on appropriate organisational committees. (*Links to Voice Survey)

B. Where appropriate engage in the consultation and amendment of relevant legislation.

1. Engage, consult and comply with legislative requirements where appropriate. (*Links to Voice Survey)

C. Develop an approach to policy and communications that supports workforce engagement.

1. Ensure the policy register is tabled at OLG meetings. (*Links to Voice Survey)

2. Enhance communication with staff to assist in improving workforce engagement. (*Links to Voice Survey)

D. Ensure our governance framework supports our organisation to remain patient focused.

1. Implement the approved Clinical Governance Framework.

2. Ensure all clinical variations are entered into the appropriate clinical database and undergo a case review process focused on reflection and learning. (*Links to Voice Survey)

3. Ensure all clinical reporting is published within agreed timeframes.

FOCUS AREA 5 Service improvementAmbulance Services Business Plan



Page 11

PRIORITY 4 – Ensure a safe working environment


A. Develop best practice workplace health and safety programs.

1. Ensure staff within each Department participate in WH&S training relevant to their role in the organisation. (*Links to Voice Survey)

2. Ensure all safety improvement programs are implemented within identified timeframes.

B. Foster a culture of mutual obligation for workplace health and safety.

1. Support the use of an organisational system to notify, manage, report and implement lessons learned.

2. Support staff to comply with the immunisation policy. (*Links to Voice Survey)

C. Support the workforce in risk identification and mitigation.

1. Place WH&S on all meeting agendas. (*Links to Voice Survey)

2. Improve dynamic risk assessment methods and undertake occupational violence training.


A. Improve workforce planning to ensure we have sufficient human resources to deliver effective and efficient services.

1. Ensure FTE planning and preparation for recruitment is managed appropriately within each Department.

2. Review the organisational and clinical needs relating to Intensive Care Paramedics (ICP) and determine the optimal number of positions.

B. Develop policies and systems for providing appropriate professional development opportunities for our people.

1. Undertake personal development plans with our people. (*Links to Voice Survey)

2. Investigate and implement alternative and flexible learning methods. (*Links to Voice Survey)

C. Develop a positive, open and transparent workplace culture.

1. Demonstrate an improvement in information sharing across all areas. (*Links to Voice Survey)

2. Ensure that the current information and website content relevant to each Department meets the needs of our workforce. (*Links to Voice Survey)

D. Progress workforce modelling to predict future needs based on expected demand.

1. Monitor and review ambulance demand to ensure resourcing meets the needs of the community.

PRIORITY 5 – Enhance workforce planning and support





A. Plan to improve facilities, equipment and resources. 1. Implement appropriate equipment and asset management systems.

2. Participate in a bi-annual budget review and capital expenditure.

3. Identify opportunities to improve facilities.


A. Strengthen Management and Operational partnerships.

1. Participate in multi-agency emergency management planning and improve specialised response capability through joint training.

2. Aim to partner/advise NT Government in the design process of remote health community ambulances. (*Links to Voice Survey)

B. Increase awareness of our role within the community.

1. Engage with culturally and linguistically diverse community groups.

2. Review emergency ambulance and patient transport vehicle markings.

3. Build a marketing and first aid vehicle to deliver support programs to the community. (*Links to Voice Survey)

PRIORITY 6 – Enhance infrastructure development

PRIORITY 7 – Develop effective partnerships with stakeholders





A. Pursue technological development within clinical, operational and support systems environment.

1. Work towards CAD data availability in all suitable response vehicles.

2. Implement dynamic mobilisation to reduce time to care. Communicate changes to all areas. (*Links to Voice Survey)

3. Review all communications networks to ensure maximum efficiency within current technological capability, including portable radios, duress functionality and GPS tracking. (*Links to Voice Survey)

4. Reduce the number of administration calls received by the ECC.

5. Review SIREN ePCR to reduce duplication and improve efficiency.

6. Review vehicle monitoring and tracking.

7. Incorporate Acetech electrical systems into our vehicles.

B. Improve partnership support within the ECC to maximise the benefits of technology.

1. Work with other emergency service agencies to improve CAD/Communications support.

C. Incorporate technology and other media as key components of our communication and engagement strategies with staff.

1. Use electronic media as a means of communicating with staff. Participate in reviewing the Intranet. (*Links to Voice Survey)

PRIORITY 8 – Maximise the benefits of technology


A. Analyse and look for strategies to decrease expenditure.

1. Analyse expenditure to seek service improvements.

B. Maximise cost recovery opportunities. 1. Ensure all cost recoverable cases are identified within the ePCR.

C. Continuously review costs of service. 1. Ensure resources are used ethically and efficiently. (*Links to Voice Survey)

2. Ensure financial delegations are implemented within each area.

PRIORITY 9 – Ensure fiscal discipline and accountability



ambulance services business plan: 2017–2020 · 2. implement a secondary triage/referral model...

Documents