ST JOHN NT
NEWSROOM

Patient satisfaction among Territorians continues to rate as close to perfect with the Northern Territory sitting at the top of the nation according to the annual Patient Experience Survey conducted and released by the Council of Ambulance Authorities (CAA).

For the second consecutive year, 99% of patients surveyed found their experience dealing with St John NT to be positive overall – equal with New South Wales as the highest proportion out of any other Australian ambulance service.

St John NT Director Ambulance Services, Andrew Thomas said that the report’s overwhelmingly positive findings were testament to the commitment and dedication all staff at St John NT invested in the ambulance service with the NT’s results some of the best in the country in many of the ratings. 

“As always the safety of our patients and delivery of a positive experience and quality care is our top priority,” he said.

“It is heartening to hear of the confidence and trust granted to us by our patients in their time of need. From the time they call for medical assistance to being cared for and transported to hospital, that they can be rest assured they will receive the highest level of care and be kept informed regarding their treatment.”

NT respondents to the 2024 survey indicated:

1. 99% overall ‘Satisfied’ with their experience dealing with St John NT, with 85% of patients surveyed ‘Very Satisfied’.
2. 96% found the assistance provided by the Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD) when they called Triple Zero (000) was helpful.
3. 93% regarded the provision of care they received as “very good”, 5% regarded the provision of care as “good”.
4. 93% trusted and were confident in the level of care provided by paramedics and Patient Transport Officers, 83% of respondents had a “very high level of confidence”, 10% rated it as “high”.
5. 98% felt that the explanation they received from the paramedic they were treated by was clear, 76% found it a “very clear and thorough explanation”.

The Council of Ambulance Authorities (CAA) represents 11 statutory ambulance services across Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. The Patient Experience Survey has been conducted annually since 2002 in Australia.

The 2024 report shows that 97% of Australian respondents were satisfied with their most recent experience using their local ambulance service. 63% of patients stated that the ambulance arrived faster than they had expected, with 94% acknowledged the call taker’s helpfulness and reassurance during their interactions.

Patient satisfaction with the care provided in Australia was exceptional, with 98% of patients rating their experience as either 'good' or 'very good’, highlighting the consistently high standard of care delivered across all Australian states and territories, with satisfaction levels throughout 2024 ranging from 97% to 98%.

The information provided from the survey allows ambulance services to better understand the recent experiences of treatment and care provided from the patient’s perspective and identify aspects of service delivery that could be improved.

More information here