Clinical Governance

St John Ambulance SA's clinical activities are underpinned by our robust Clinical Governance Framework, overseen by our Clinical Governance Committee comprising experienced Doctors, Paramedics, Nurses, and health management professionals.   

Our promise for each point of contact is to provide high-quality care delivered to meet the consumer’s individual needs, delivered every time and in every interaction. The Clinical Governance Committee provide oversight and guidance to ensure St John provides exceptional services that raise the standard of pre-hospital care in South Australia through key policies, systems, and processes that enable a culture of organisational-wide accountability for the delivery of quality care. 

In addition, our clinical team members can access the following support mechanisms whilst carrying out their important work: 

  • Access to 24/7 On-call management team 

  • Access to 24/7 On-call doctor  

  • Access to 24/7 National translation service 

 

Insurance  

 

Our extensive insurance coverage includes medical malpractice, motor vehicle, and public & product liability. This comprehensive protection ensures that our patients and staff are safeguarded in all circumstances, reflecting our commitment to safety and professionalism in every aspect of our service. Certificates of Currency can be provided at request. 

 

Drug & Poisons License  

 

We're approved by SA Health to purchase, hold and administer various medications including over the counter and Schedule 4 medications. Through our Clinical Practice Guidelines, our clinical team members can utilise medications to undertake lifesaving procedures and treat a number of illnesses in a timely manner. 

 

Patient Reporting  

 

For all clinical presentations, St John Ambulance SA completes a detailed Patient Record Form to document the interaction. The patient is offered a copy of their Patient Record Form and St John Ambulance SA holds a copy of the Patient Record Form in line with requirements under the Commonwealth Privacy Act. 

Under the Commonwealth Privacy Act, St John Ambulance SA is not permitted to share any patient details, Patient Record Forms or any other information without written consent of the patient, and this can be a lengthy process to obtain consent. 

During patient treatment, we recommend an event manager or representative meet the patient at the time of treatment to obtain necessary contact information and personal details through your incident reporting procedure. This enables you to directly communicate with the patient. 

It is illegal for St John Ambulance SA to provide Patient Record Forms or any personal information without the consent of the patient.  

 

Our Risk Mitigation 

 

St John Ambulance SA is committed to ensuring safe and healthy mass gatherings, St John Ambulance SA undertakes a comprehensive risk management process reviewing factors that may influence clinical presentations at your deployment. Based on the information provided by the client, our Registered Paramedics undertake the risk management process, drawing on best practice guidelines and research, to formulate an appropriate medical proposal for your event. 

During the risk management process, our Registered Paramedics will review: 

  • The geographic location and size of your deployment; 

  • The number of patrons or participants expected at your deployment; 

  • Demography of the participants expected at your deployment; 

  • Climatic conditions at the time of your deployment; 

  • The activities conducted at your deployment; 

  • The governing regulations or rules in place for your deployment ; 

  • The location of your deployment in comparison to the location of ambulance and/or hospital/medical services 

  • Requirements as stipulated by the client for your deployment; 

  • Previous experience with similar events to your deployment; 

 

Equestrian, Motorsport and Competitive Sports 

 

Governing regulations may stipulate a certain level of medical coverage required for your event.  

Our Registered Paramedics review the Governing Regulations at the time of booking and provide an overview of the medical requirements that your event will require. This is a transparent process, ensuring that we can meet the medical risks associated with your event so that your patrons and participants can remain safe and well-supported. 

We're committed to support you from the initial planning phases for your deployment, right through to after your deployment is completed. We provide feedback based on our experience and clinical presentations to assist with planning for successful deployment in the future.