Union calls for vote of no confidence in St John NT leadership

‘Fed up’ ambos call for vote of no confidence in St John NT leadership, union claims.

Union says they’re “fed up” and have “no confidence” in St John NT’s executive leadership. Picture: Che Chorley

St John NT paramedics have made damning claims of a ‘toxic workplace’ where they ‘fear retribution’ in a United Workers Union survey and associated letter.

The possibility of a vote of no confidence in the ambulance service’s executive has also been raised by the union’s secretary Erina Early.

The letter and accompanying survey data formed the union’s response to a recent leaked report into clinical governance in St John NT.

Ms Early said St John NT was a “toxic workplace”. Picture: Floss Adams

The report found “serious concerns” within the organisation and made a number of recommendations.

In a response to that report, St John NT contested allegations of possible patient harm and said it had already responded to most of the recommendations the report raised.

However Ms Early said UWU survey data disputed St John NT’s claims.

According to the UWU, 87 per cent of union members at St John NT responded to the survey.

The union chose not to share their individual feedback as “members feared retribution” if they were identified by St John NT.

But 71 per cent of those respondents claimed St John NT was not taking meaningful and adequate steps to implement the recommendations of the report.

In response to concerns about clinical and/or patient safety, 83 per cent of respondents said they had continued concerns.

The confidential report said some of the concerns could lead to “potential patient harm”. Picture: Che Chorley

Ms Early said the most significant finding of the survey was 88 per cent of respondents had “no confidence” in the St John executive.

“They have to start listening to the people on the ground — the paramedics,” Ms Early said.

“The report is nothing new — we’ve been saying this for two decades.

“Across all aspects of the survey results, a consistent message is being sent to the organisation.

“Our members and [St John] staff are fed up and concerned with the direction the organisation.”

Ms Early said the ‘overwhelming’ response of ‘no confidence’ would lead her union to table a formal vote of no confidence in the coming days.

St John NT chief executive Andrew Tombs said he was willing to discuss the survey results with the union.

St John NT chief executive Andrew Tombs said he was “happy to meet with union delegates” to discuss their concerns. Picture: Sam Lowe

“St John NT holds the health and safety of both our staff and our patients as the highest priority,” Mr Tombs said.

“We would be happy to meet with union delegates to discuss and address any of the concerns they have related to the current situation faced by our organisation in the spirit of working towards continued improvements to patient care and safety.”

Mr Tombs also pointed to a number of initiatives St John NT had recently implemented to improve its clinical governance and staff safety measures in response to the “abhorrent behaviour by some members of the community”.