Three Award finalists, and presentation to showcase at CAA Congress

• Excellence in Patient Care finalist: SJWA State Defibrillator Network improves Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA) patient outcomes 

• Excellence in Staff Development finalist: Transforming SJWA Driver Training through legislative reform and evidence-based practice 

• Excellence in Mental Health & Wellbeing finalist: PAWS: Early intervention for strengthening Wellbeing 

• Congress Lightning Presentation: Technology-enabled Auslan interpreting across St John WA services sets new benchmark for patient informed care 

Congratulations to all the Council of Ambulance Authorities (CAA) Excellence Awards finalists and presenter Lauren D’Arcy who will be showcasing Convo at this year’s CAA Congress in Canberra in August. 

St John WA submitted four award-worthy applications and teams should be proud of all the effort behind each project. 

“Thank you to all the team members who submitted to the CAA Congress & Excellence Awards,” Chief Emergency Officer Wil White said. 

“The calibre of St John WA’s award applications continues to impress judges each year, with this year’s applications supported for the first time with video where possible, which has elevated effort even further. 

“Special thanks to the Corporate Affairs team for helping support the submissions. 

“And congratulations to Caitlyn Pavey-Smith, Naomi Powell and her team, Janice Wong, Ben Mann and the PAWS team, and Lauren D’Arcy.” 

Deane Coxall will also have a poster on display at the conference about the Skills Credentialling Platform. 

Here are short summaries of this year’s finalists, presentation and poster: 

State Defibrillator Network improves Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA) patient outcomes 

St John WA’s State Defibrillator Network (SDN) is a unique patient-centred, system-level innovation helping deliver world-class out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survival rates and the largest coordinated Automated External Defibrillator (AED) registry and deployment network in Australia. 

Unlike some Australian AED registries, the SDN is fully integrated into SJWA’s computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system and registered AEDs automatically surface based on geographic proximity, so all nearby devices are visible in the critical seconds of a Triple Zero (000) call. SJWA’s State Control Centre (SCC) can also directly request the AED be brought to the patient via emergency contacts stored for the location – saving time and lending greater assistance to the scene without interrupting CPR. This combination distinguishes the WA model and transforms AEDs from passive assets into actively deployed clinical interventions. 

Transforming Driver Training through legislative reform and evidence-based practice 

St John WA (SJWA) has developed a globally best practice, contemporary, evidence-informed Driver Training and Compliance Program for all tiers of the organisation that provides team members the highest level of training and instils safety focused operational practices. In tandem SJWA has also achieved the Road Traffic Code Amendment Regulation 2025 reform, which – for the first time in Australian ambulance services history – enables live practical emergency driving on Western Australia’s road network. 

Historically, driver education for ambulance services has relied heavily on closed-course training and theoretical instruction, leaving a dangerous gap when being inducted to real-world operational conditions, especially driving under Priority 1 (P1) lights and sirens. 

High risk driving activities such as contraflow, breaching of intersections, traffic congestion and navigation can be experienced on real roads prior to the team member being exposed to a live situation involving patients. Successful participants are awarded a nationally accredited and transferable certification, supporting workforce capability and professional development. 

PAWS: Early intervention for strengthening Wellbeing 

Over the past 18 months, St John WA’s Psychology and Wellbeing Services (PAWS) has undergone a deliberate and transformative redesign to create a modern evidence based and values driven mental health service tailored to the complex needs of diverse ambulance teams. Recognising traditional, reactive support models were insufficient for a geographically vast state and SJWA’s hybrid team of more than 8000 volunteer and career members, PAWS’ service delivery now prioritises prevention, early detection, and system level psychosocial risk management in line with WA Work Health Safety (WHS) legislation. 

PAWS has significantly enhanced accessibility and equity of support, particularly for regional and remote team members. Dedicated regional Wellbeing Coordinators, expanded External Assistance Provider (EAP) availability statewide, and greater uptake of 24/7 Wellbeing Phone Line ensures timely and confidential support for all workers and their families. 

Proactive monitoring of cumulative trauma exposure and improved data integration now allow earlier, more targeted intervention, reducing reliance on crisis driven responses. 

Technology-enabled Auslan interpreting across St John WA services sets new benchmark for patient informed care 

Due to systemic under‑reporting of Deafness in prehospital care, St John WA (SJWA) sought a community‑informed technology solution to reduce miscommunication, diagnostic error and improve patient safety across Ambulance and Urgent Care environments. 

Following consultation with community leaders, SJWA partnered with Convo Australia — a Deaf‑owned, 24/7 Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) service. Priority access to certified VRI was piloted on Urgent Care iPads, with connectivity enhancements completed before full rollout to ambulance services via iPads and QR codes. 

More than 30 hours of real‑time interpreting have been provided since January 2024 with Deaf community outreach service strengthening trust and utilisation. This solution addresses long‑standing health inequities experienced by Deaf patients and supports National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) standards concerning high‑risk population identification, effective communication and consumer partnership. 

Skills Credentialling Platform 

The Skills Credentialling Platform is an adaptive solution that empowers officers to take control of their professional development and improve practice standards within specialist roles of paramedicine such as Critical Care, Extended Care and Special Operations. This platform enables officers to record evidence of practiced skills, accredited training courses, and professional development activities essential to their role. 

Each skill has a period of validity; a value which has been determined based upon Work Health & Safety legislation, latest evidence-based practice, or expert consensus. The streamlining of skills maintenance advances the professional standards of our workforce and drives the evolution of paramedicine through technology-enabled education.