Local column – Paramedic services providing better healthcare
Last Friday I was very proud to announce that the Government is providing $712,500 in new funding to extend the Horowhenua St Johns Urgent Community Care (UCC) project until 2014.
This is a great service which involves highly trained paramedics treating people in their own homes. As a result, fewer people need to make what can be a stressful and unnecessary trip to hospital.
In Kapiti a similar scheme was run by Wellington Free Ambulance, and St John have been operating a trial in the Horowhenua region over the last two years.
Not only is it good for the patient, it’s also good for the taxpayer and our hospitals as it means fewer unnecessary admissions.
Already we’ve seen a 20% reduction in ED presentations to Palmerston North hospital. 4237 patients have been treated in Horowhenua and a survey shows high-level satisfaction of 99%, an outstanding result.
This is especially important in our region because we have a number of elderly and vulnerable people, and Palmerston North or Wellington hospital is nearly an hour’s drive away.
In August last year Prime Minister John Key came to Levin to present a cheque of $700,000 to support the scheme.
I’m proud that the Government has recognised the success of this scheme. I think it is the way of the future, treating people in their own homes with quicker and better services.
I want to thank James Wood, the Chief Executive of St John who is standing down after 12 years in the job. In that time we have had a lot of good things happening in Horowhenua – not just this paramedic scheme, but extra paramedics in Otaki and Foxton have been employed who are making a real difference.