Background to the project:
In 2017 the State Government made an Election Commitment to “Review regional and country ambulance services to ensure our volunteers and frontline paramedics have the support they need to continue to respond to emergency situations” and stakeholder consultation followed.
In July 2019, the Auditor General, in her follow-up report on delivery West Australia’s ambulance services, committed to “engaging with consumers and their carers about their lived experience to inform future contract development, focusing in particular on Aboriginal consumers and people experiencing mental health issues.”
HCC, in partnership with The Behaviour Change Collaborative, is assisting with this by gathering real end user feedback from those who have recently used ambulance services. We conducted a survey in August and now in September and October are holding public consultations. We feel that it is extremely important that those who have had experience of using ambulances be given an opportunity to comment as to where things have gone well and where they have not gone so well. Our report the Department of Health will inform future procurement of ambulance services.
Project update:
Our online survey received 452 responses and we conducted seven consultations and some phone interviews with consumers in WA. Consumers (those who had called or used an ambulance in WA the past five years) were very engaged with the topic and provided useful feedback. Thank you to all those who participated. Our report to the Department of Health available to view here.