Double gong at CAA awards

St John WA has won two awards at the Council of Ambulance Authorities (CAA) 2025 Awards for Excellence, announced at tonight’s Gala Dinner at Adelaide Oval, marking the organisation’s fourth consecutive year of CAA wins (VEM in 2022, two wins for Critical Care Paramedic Training and Take Home Naloxone in 2023, Flexible Work in 2024).

Winners

• Excellence in Technology – Clinical Incident Management System (CIMS) Delivered by Senior Manager Patient Safety and Quality Lauren Davids and team, St John WA’s bespoke clinical incident management platform, built with MyOSH, enables real-time reporting, clearer classification and stronger accountability across the organisation. The system is improving safety culture and data-driven learning at scale.
• Excellence in Staff Development – Family and Domestic Violence (FDV) Education Program Led by Program Lead Alex French and Head of Department Carole Donaldson with partners Stopping Family Violence and CSI UWA, this sector-first program equips responders, including regional volunteers, to recognise, assess and respond to FDV. The initiative fills a critical training gap and strengthens support for people experiencing harm.

Group CEO Kevin Brown said the achievements reflected a maturing approach to innovation at St John WA.

Congratulations to our winners and finalists, and to every team behind them. It takes many hands to turn an idea into a service. Thank you for the care, persistence and collaboration that make a difference for the community we serve, alongside our partners

St John WA also recorded a new organisational best with five finalists drawn from a field of 46 submissions across Australasia:

• Clinical Practice (Finalist) – Extended Care Paramedics: treating more patients safely at home, reducing unnecessary ED presentations.
• Leadership (Finalist) – Menopause Friendly Accreditation: Australia’s first emergency service to achieve accreditation, improving inclusion and support.
• Mental Health & Wellbeing (Finalist) – Early Intervention Physiotherapy Program: immediate access to physiotherapy and triage, contributing to a significant reduction in Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate since April 2024.

Being shortlisted five times and taking home two awards by an independent panel underlines the breadth of progress across St John. It is the work of many hands, and it is delivering real outcomes.

Mojca Bizjak-Mikic, Interim Chief Executive of the CAA, shared her heartfelt appreciation for the winners and entrants of the Awards for Excellence.

“It’s truly inspiring to see the incredible skill and steadfast dedication of our ambulance professionals,” she said.

“Each nominee has made an invaluable contribution to our mission of delivering outstanding care, and I’m proud to honour their achievements and unwavering commitment to excellence in service.”

The CAA Awards for Excellence, now in their 18th year, continue to play a crucial role in encouraging innovation and enabling services to share their work and learn from each other.

For more information about the CAA Awards for Excellence and this year’s winners, visit: caa.net.au/awards.