Hato Hone St John

Peter BradleyWebsitewww.stjohn.org.nz

Hato Hone St John (also often referred to as St John Ambulance of New Zealand) is a charitable organisation providing healthcare services to the New Zealand public. The organisation provides ambulance services throughout New Zealand apart from the Greater Wellington Region and Wairarapa, as well as certain other health services.

A branch of the St John Ambulance was first founded in Christchurch, New Zealand, on 30 April 1885.^[1] It was decided to appoint the Governor (William Jervois) as president, and the mayors of Christchurch (Charles Hulbert), Sydenham (William White), and St Albans (Benjamin Bull) as vice-presidents.^[1] Further branches quickly spread across the country providing first aid and patient transport and in 1946, due to the efforts of St John in New Zealand during the Second World War, the organisation was elevated to a full Priory, with the Governor-General of New Zealand as the Prior.^[2]

During the 1970s and 1980s much restructuring took place in response to changing social and economic conditions, moving away from the traditional militaristic structure and resulting in the current modern organisation.

Today, Hato Hone St John is a major health service provider in New Zealand. It provides 90% of the emergency and non-emergency ambulance coverage for the New Zealand population,^[3] emergency care and first aid at public events, support phone lines for the elderly and house-bound, hospital patient transport, public first aid training, health products and a youth programme.

In June 2020, Hato Hone St John announced that it would be laying off staff due to a NZ$30 million deficit caused by the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand.^[4] The organisation had failed to secure a wage subsidy from the Government despite a 40% drop in income.^[5]

In August 2024, Hato Hone St John ambulance workers and call centre staff affiliated with the New Zealand Ambulance Association and First Union New Zealand staged strikes on 20 and 24 August in response to a breakdown in pay negotiations with the ambulance service.^[6][7]

Hato Hone St John provides ambulance services for approximately 90% of New Zealand's population. The only area where the organisation does not provide emergency ambulance services is the Greater Wellington region (specifically the areas of the former Capital and Coast, Hutt Valley, and Wairarapa DHBs), where Wellington Free Ambulance is the provider. Hato Hone St John treated or transported 469,850 patients in the year ending 30 June 2017, attending more than 389,350 emergency incidents. The 655 ambulances or operational vehicles, based at 205 stations, covered more than 18 million kilometres in the same time.^[8]

Hato Hone St John is a charitable organisation which relies on its volunteer workforce to deliver health services to the New Zealand population. Volunteers outnumber paid employees by around three to one. In 2017, 9,232 people volunteered for Hato Hone St John and the organisation had 3,033 paid staff. If the Hato Hone St John volunteer contribution was valued at normal commercial rates it would equate to $30 million.^[8] St John volunteers receive specialised training and clinical education.

Contracts with the Ministry of Health, ACC and district health boards fund just under 90% of the direct operating costs of the Hato Hone St John ambulance service as of 2022.^[9]

The difference is made up from community and corporate donations, fund-raising, revenue from commercial activities (first aid kits, first aid training, medical alarms and defibrillators), as well as income from emergency ambulance part charges.

These activities also fund the delivery of non-ambulance services such as the Hato Hone St John Youth programmes, Friends of the Emergency Department, Hospital Friends, Caring Caller, Hato Hone St John Safe Kids and Outreach Therapy Pets.

In 2008, St John and ASB Bank initiated a partnership. The partnership helps to expand support for St John services and deliver programmes like CPR training on a wide scale. At the same time, the partnership gives ASB the opportunity to strengthen connections with local communities and give their employees the opportunity to get involved with community services by volunteering for St John.

The partnership was launched with ASB providing the opportunity for 1,000 school children at 10 schools to learn the lifesaving resuscitation skill CPR for free.^[10]

Hato Hone St John in New Zealand has global links to the international Order of St John. His Majesty the King is Sovereign Head of the Order and the Governor-General of New Zealand is the head or Prior of St John in New Zealand.

In 1888, in recognition of its work, Queen Victoria made the Order of St John a Royal Order of Chivalry. In New Zealand, Royal Honours continue to be awarded to members for outstanding contributions and commitment to care for their communities. These Royal Honours are an independent part of the New Zealand Honours System. Honours are conferred annually at St John Investiture services.

• Service Medal of the Order of St John
• St John Youth New Zealand

• Hato Hone St John
• St John Youth NZ
• Annual Report 2017