In the face of increasing demand and diverse challenges, Hato Hone St John has revealed a notable uptick in the need for its ambulance services throughout 2023.
Last year, the organisation's emergency call handlers grappled with close to 700,000 (689,980) 111 calls, marking a 2.4% rise from 2022.
Although this increase was less pronounced than the preceding two years, each witnessing call volumes grow between 9-11%, the figure from last year demonstrates a substantial 24% surge compared to five years ago and a staggering 54% increase from a decade ago.
Winter ailments and the ongoing challenges posed by COVID-19 were significant contributors to the heightened workload, particularly during the colder months. August emerged as the busiest month for emergency call handlers and dispatchers, managing 60,822 calls for help, closely followed by December with 60,488 calls.
Dan Ohs, Deputy Chief Executive - Ambulance Operations at Hato Hone St John, highlighted the frontline ambulance staff's relentless efforts, responding to 437,960 incidents across the country, representing a 4.2% increase compared to 2022.
Breakdown of reasons for calling 111 for an ambulance by chief complaint
This data is for the last two years in descending order. It reflects the number of emergency ambulance service incidents, not the number of patients and therefore actual patient numbers are higher.
Reason for Call |
2022 |
2023 |
Growth |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vol |
% |
Vol |
% |
||
REFERRAL FROM A HEALTH PRACTITIONER |
82,805 |
15.9% |
84,049 |
15.7% |
1.5% |
BREATHING PROBLEMS |
54,922 |
10.5% |
51,834 |
9.7% |
-5.6% |
CHEST PAIN |
52,002 |
10.0% |
52,866 |
9.9% |
1.7% |
FALLS AND BACK INJURIES |
45,768 |
8.8% |
46,617 |
8.7% |
1.9% |
SICK PERSON - SPECIFIC DIAGNOSIS |
44,351 |
8.5% |
42,035 |
7.9% |
-5.2% |
UNCONSCIOUS/PASSING OUT |
36,585 |
7.0% |
36,954 |
6.9% |
1.0% |
ABDOMINAL PAIN/PROBLEMS |
22,181 |
4.2% |
22,588 |
4.2% |
1.8% |
TRAUMATIC INJURIES |
18,168 |
3.5% |
19,188 |
3.6% |
5.6% |
TRAFFIC CRASHES |
17,138 |
3.3% |
17,360 |
3.2% |
1.3% |
HAEMORRHAGE/LACERATIONS |
16,071 |
3.1% |
16,736 |
3.1% |
4.1% |
CONVULSIONS/FITTING |
15,449 |
3.0% |
16,302 |
3.0% |
5.5% |
STROKE (CVA) |
15,348 |
2.9% |
17,015 |
3.2% |
10.9% |
MENTAL HEALTH |
11,346 |
2.2% |
12,061 |
2.3% |
6.3% |
HEART PROBLEMS |
11,040 |
2.1% |
10,887 |
2.0% |
-1.4% |
ASSAULT |
10,194 |
2.0% |
10,283 |
1.9% |
0.9% |
OVERDOSE/INGESTION/POISONING |
8,882 |
1.7% |
9,399 |
1.8% |
5.8% |
BACK PAIN - NON-TRAUMATIC |
6,104 |
1.2% |
6,327 |
1.2% |
3.7% |
CARDIAC/RESPIRATORY ARREST |
5,205 |
1.0% |
5,568 |
1.0% |
7.0% |
HEADACHE |
5,093 |
1.0% |
4,821 |
0.9% |
-5.3% |
ALLERGIES/RASH/MED REACTION/STINGS |
4,171 |
0.8% |
4,415 |
0.8% |
5.8% |
DIABETIC PROBLEMS |
3,812 |
0.7% |
4,047 |
0.8% |
6.2% |
PREGNANCY/CHILDBIRTH/MISCARRIAGE |
3,131 |
0.6% |
2,935 |
0.5% |
-6.3% |
CHOKING |
2,245 |
0.4% |
1,984 |
0.4% |
-11.6% |
STAB/GUNSHOT WOUND |
1,170 |
0.2% |
1,228 |
0.2% |
5.0% |
BURNS/EXPLOSION |
1,158 |
0.2% |
1,176 |
0.2% |
1.6% |
ANIMAL BITES/ATTACKS |
898 |
0.2% |
987 |
0.2% |
9.9% |
EYE PROBLEMS/INJURIES |
749 |
0.1% |
741 |
0.1% |
-1.1% |
CARBON MONOXIDE/INHALATION/HAZMAT |
527 |
0.1% |
610 |
0.1% |
15.7% |
DROWNING/DIVING ACCIDENT |
434 |
0.1% |
482 |
0.1% |
11.1% |
HEAT/COLD EXPOSURE |
204 |
0.0% |
250 |
0.0% |
22.5% |
INDUSTRIAL/MACHINERY ACCIDENTS |
181 |
0.0% |
236 |
0.0% |
30.4% |
ELECTROCUTION |
122 |
0.0% |
122 |
0.0% |
0.0% |
PATIENT TRANSFER SERVICES |
79,003 |
N/A |
81,808 |
N/A |
3.6% |
The busiest locations for ambulance responses were noted in Christchurch, Auckland, Manawatū, Hamilton, and the Western Bay of Plenty.
Notably, there has been a 16% decrease in the number of patients attended to by ambulance crews for more minor conditions between 2020 and 2023. This reduction is attributed to the success of secondary triaging, wherein lower acuity patients are assessed by clinicians over the phone, receiving appropriate advice and care.
Dan Ohs pointed out, “The most common reasons for calling for an ambulance last year were consistent with previous years.
"These included referrals from a health practitioner, breathing problems, chest pain, falls, and people unconscious or passing out. But there are some notable incidents that have emerged."
These notable incidents include a 30.4% increase in industrial/machinery incidents, a 22.5% rise in calls for heat/cold exposure, and a 15.7% increase in incidents involving hazardous materials such as carbon monoxide.
Water-related incidents remain a concern, with ambulance staff responding to 482 drowning, near-drowning, and diving incidents in 2023, marking an 11.1% increase from 2022.
The year commenced with Hato Hone St John responding to significant weather-related events in January, including severe flooding and slips in Northland, Auckland, and the Coromandel Peninsula. The organisation scaled up its resources in February to address the challenges brought by Cyclone Gabrielle.
As 2023 progressed, Hato Hone St John continued to implement its five-year Manaaki Ora strategy, emphasising a commitment to achieving health equity for all. A new clinical strategy was launched to integrate better with the health system and explore new models of care.
"We’ve remained firmly focused on building a stronger workforce by boosting the number of frontline staff, as well as filling vacancies," Ohs says.
"We’re pleased with our international recruitment efforts, having hired more than a hundred experienced paramedics from Australia and the United Kingdom."
The organisation also celebrated the success of its Residential Emergency Medical Technician program, graduating 290 new ambulance officers since its launch in 2021. Furthermore, it bolstered its response capability by establishing additional major incident support teams (MIST), rolling out 16 new MIST vehicles, and introducing two new command units.
As Hato Hone St John looks forward to 2024, Dan Ohs expresses optimism about the organization's ongoing journey in making life-changing differences in communities throughout Aotearoa New Zealand.
