Air Desk concept to be put to the test
Health ACCA government-funded trial of an Air Desk that will centralise the handling of the country’s emergency air ambulance callouts is to commence today.
ACC Minister, Hon Michael Woodhouse and Associate Minister of Health, Hon Peter Dunne announced today that the Ministry of Health and ACC are each providing half of the $591,000 per annum funding for the two-year pilot. The trial funds an air desk with 15 hours a day, 7 days a week coverage to prove that the concept will meet its objectives.
“Our air ambulance operators do a tremendous job and I look forward to seeing this innovation enhance their ability to go to the assistance of New Zealanders whenever and wherever they are in trouble,” says Mr Dunne.
“Sector groups have argued that an Air Desk would provide centralised, expert dispatch and coordination of all emergency air ambulance incidents, as opposed to being dispatched locally.”
The trial is being initiated after a business case was developed and put to the two agencies by St John, Wellington Free Ambulance, and the Air Rescue Group (ARG), which is made up of representatives from emergency air ambulance service providers.
“They believe this approach will improve the quality and safety of coordinating and dispatching emergency air ambulance services, and I am pleased that we will now be able to test out the Air Desk concept,” says Mr Woodhouse.
“There will be an independent and robust evaluation of the Air Desk trial to determine if it has met its objectives, at which point the Ministry of Health and ACC will consider any ongoing funding.”