KEY POINTS:
Ambulance staff would treat more people over the phone and in their own homes rather than taking them to hospital under plans to improve services.
The suggestion, based on the British method, is one of 14 recommendations made by Parliament's health select committee after an inquiry highlighted inadequacies in ambulance services.
The inquiry team has asked the Ministry of Health to investigate the idea, saying it would greatly improve ambulance services' links to other parts of the health sector and ensure patients receive the right care.
Under the British system, calls are prioritised into three categories.
Non-urgent callers are given advice over the phone and are often referred to the local GP or an emergency nurse service - reducing unnecessary trips to hospital and freeing resources for life-threatening jobs.
When an ambulance is dispatched, nearly a quarter of the patients are treated in their own homes or at the scene of the incident. Only about 40 per cent of callers are taken to hospital.
While adopting the plan would require additional training for paramedics and call-centre operators, the inquiry team felt the potential benefits were great enough for it to be investigated further.
St John - which provides ambulance care to 86 per cent of the country - supported the idea, saying it would like to expand its services further into the primary health sector.
Chief Operations Officer Keven Tate said ambulance officers already assessed and treated patients according to their needs, which meant a significant portion did not have to be taken to hospital.
There was also a healthline available which gave advice on whether medical treatment was required.
But he said the British system went further, as it had practitioners who spent a lot of time with a person at home and could call on other resources such as a district nurse.
Wellington Free Ambulance chief executive John Britton said treating patients in their own homes if their condition was not life-threatening was an excellent idea which should be given further consideration.
Health committee chairwoman and Green MP Sue Kedgley said the plan would help free busy hospitals, although that would happen only with a better funding structure.
Under the current system, Ms Kedgley said, ambulance services were often paid only if they took a person to hospital.
A better funding structure - something also recommended in the report - would mean ambulance staff would no longer feel the need to take every patient to hospital regardless of their condition. This would reduce pressure on overflowing wards.
An Auckland ambulance officer, who did not want to be identified, said there were far bigger ambulance issues that needed to be addressed than introducing the UK plan.
The main ones were the lack of funding and staffing that meant many officers had to go on jobs alone.
The inquiry recommended the Government work to achieve double crewing in metropolitan areas in three years and other urban areas within four years.
Health Minister David Cunliffe said the Government would seriously consider the report.
Two of the unions representing ambulance staff said the inquiry committee indicated the failure of the current service arrangements, but had backed off from recommending the reforms needed - creating one well-resourced national ambulance service.
New Zealand ambulance services are run by four main providers - St John, Wellington Free Ambulance and the Wairarapa and Taranaki District Health Boards.
IN BRITAIN
* Non-urgent callers are given advice by phone and referred to GP or emergency nurse.
* Where an ambulance is sent nearly a quarter of patients are treated at home or at the scene.
* Only about 40 per cent of callers are taken to hospital.
OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS
* Achieve double crewing in ambulances in metropolitan areas within three years.
* Consider moving to a single stream of funding.
* Establish national standards and training and a governing body for registration.
* Promote shared locations for ambulance and fire services.
