Editorial:Govt should fund St John

I've always considered the men and women of St John Ambulance the good guys.

Like the Fire Service, they're always there when you need them and their job is to help and heal, and make a difference in the community.

They do a terrific job.

So it must be galling for them to have to ask the very people they rush to hospital for money afterwards.

As we reported in the Bay of Plenty Times Weekend on Saturday, a rise in demand for St John ambulances in the Western Bay has led to a rise in fees for most patients.

From April 1, the ambulance service's part charges will rise from $67 to $80.

On April 1, 2013, the charges will go up to $84, reaching $88 on April 1, 2014.

Part charges traditionally apply to ambulance attendance and/or transport for medical emergencies plus accident-related injuries older than 24 hours.

The charges do not include immediate accidents, which are free.

Last year, St John responded to 15,269 emergencies, compared with 13,349 in 2008.

As I read Saturday's story, it hit home just how precarious the organisation's funding situation is.

The Ministry of Health, ACC and district health boards bankroll about 80 per cent of operating costs - and St John has to go cap in hand to the community and sick patients to make up the rest.

Nationally, this shortfall is about $17 million.

The people who will be hurt most by these rising charges are the elderly, particularly those living alone or trying to survive on a pension.

People who have earned the right to retire should not have to pay for services such as being rushed to hospital after suffering a medical emergency, such as a heart attack.

Most would have paid taxes all their working lives and made a contribution to New Zealand as a country.

It is wrong to ask them to pay for a trip to save their lives or ease their pain.

The other point is St John's shortfall of $17 million is not a huge amount when compared with the amount of money this Government spends.

Treasury figures as of last October show the Government is spending $25.3 billion on social security and welfare; $18.8 billion on economic and industrial services and $13.1 billion on health.

I realise there is only so much money to go around but what price do we put on a decent health system? Surely we can find $17 million more a year for St John and clean up this funding mess.