WA Radio Scanner Users' Group

As the name suggests "Workcare SA" and as "Workcare W

They provide emergency ambulance services to workplaces etc with rehab transfer to hospitals

At least they wont have to worry about getting a ambulance license here because it does not exsist in SA its a gard nut to crack to get into.

Just wondering how they would go transferring a patient who has ambulance fund cover or on a health care card over here seems though there services are "open" to the public. Would it be patients being billed regardless.

Yes they provide services for both workplaces and the general public.

Did some research go to http://www.workcaresa.com.au and have a look.

Dont know how they can cover the whole metro area and still keep within the national guidlines for P1 response, they say ring 000 BUT also say call them for emergency response.

There advertising for staff in perth $55,000 plus on seek for qualified A/P's makes AMS n the old ALAS look like chicken feed just wonder how long they would cop a loss for before making a profit even AMS atm dont run fulltime.

First one to get a pic off there ambo gets a prize lol IN PERTH and not off the web.

I amended the original post seems though my other was removed due to a typo.

4353 wrote: http://www.workcarsa.com.au

Broken link

4353 wrote:
Providing emergency ambulance services to workplaces etc with rehab transfer to hospitals....

...Just wondering how they would go transferring a patient who has ambulance fund cover or on a health care card over here seems though there services are "open" to the public

As you have pointed out their website is pitching at employers and businesses. As such patients transported would be covered by workers compensation insurance and not ambulance fund cover or health care card patients.

4353 wrote: First one to get a pic gets a prize lol

They have pictures on their website.

4353 wrote:At least they wont have to worry about getting a ambulance license here.

Competition raises everybody's performance so it would seem a good thing.

4353 wrote: seems though there services are "open" to the public

According to their website "IMPORTANT NOTE: For all life threatening and potentially life threatening conditions or injuries always call 000 Emergency Ambulance" (http://www.workcaresa.com.au/Ambulance%20service.htm)

Toottoot wrote:

4353 wrote: http://www.workcarsa.com.au

Broken link-Its a typo

4353 wrote:
Providing emergency ambulance services to workplaces etc with rehab transfer to hospitals....

...Just wondering how they would go transferring a patient who has ambulance fund cover or on a health care card over here seems though there services are "open" to the public

As you have pointed out their website is pitching at employers and businesses. As such patients transported would be covered by workers compensation insurance and not ambulance fund cover or health care card patients.

Unfortunatley your wrong and your lack off prehospital care shows

4353 wrote: First one to get a pic gets a prize lol

They have pictures on their website.

In perth as i wrote originally

4353 wrote:At least they wont have to worry about getting a ambulance license here.

Competition raises everybody's performance so it would seem a good thing.

Again lack off prehospital care knowledge shows

4353 wrote: seems though there services are "open" to the public

According to their website "IMPORTANT NOTE: For all life threatening and potentially life threatening conditions or injuries always call 000 Emergency Ambulance" (http://www.workcaresa.com.au/Ambulance%20service.htm)

They say call 000 and also call them for emergency response so it could be total misleading for a workplace

This is interesting more and more players coming into the game and a pretty healthy wage to go with it if you gain employment with them might see some SJA AMS MAS staff start to defiect

I agree and if you do some research you will see that they won a supreme court case against the government in SA relation to operating an ambulance service and are now recongised in SA as an emergency ambulance and the govt was made the supreme court to change the legislation.

Also in NSW a private provider was taken to court by the NSW ambo service the NSW Ambulance service lost in the supreme court and the private provider was allowed to continue to operate.

I think SJA should be scared very scared

This is just my personal opinion, and is not meant as a criticism of the professionalism of any of the ambulance service providers, but I'm really not comfortable with this. [-o<

I think we have a great system in Australia with tax payer funded, centralised emergency services which can standardise training, equipment, procedures, interoperability, etc and are run as a service.

I would hate to see this system change to something like the US where each city/county has its own emergency services which might work well with the neighbours some of the time. I can't help but think this might be where we are heading.

My other big issue with private emergency care providers is that, unless they secure a source of government funding or are supported by a philanthropist, they have to be run as a business. I believe it is inevitable this will result in either increased costs passed onto the community/users, or a decrease in service levels to increase profit.

dlcat1 wrote:This is just my personal opinion, and is not meant as a criticism of the professionalism of any of the ambulance service providers, but I'm really not comfortable with this. [-o<

You and alot off other people feel that way trust me


My other big issue with private emergency care providers is that, unless they secure a source of government funding or are supported by a philanthropist, they have to be run as a business. I believe it is inevitable this will result in either increased costs passed onto the community/users, or a decrease in service levels to increase profit.

You are right private companies are in to make money and usually at the cost off patient care, waages,conditions etc

dlcat1 wrote:I would hate to see this system change to something like the US where each city/county has its own emergency services which might work well with the neighbours some of the time. I can't help but think this might be where we are heading.

Have you seen Mother, Jugs & Speed? I hope it isn't that bad

I wouldnt worry about these guys - they are in bad shape in SA let alone WA.... last we heard they were actively trying to get someone to buy their occupational response service out so they could just do PT in SA....

Their owner is a used car salesman......

Until recently they ran first aiders (with internal Workcare training) as "paramedics"... the owner calls himself a critical care paramedic with no formal training.

they have only now just started to aks for staff with Cert IV, Diploma ect...

4353 wrote:I agree and if you do some research you will see that they won a supreme court case against the government in SA relation to operating an ambulance service and are now recongised in SA as an emergency ambulance and the govt was made the supreme court to change the legislation.
I think SJA should be scared very scared

I dont think SJA should be that worried... the SA court case is not over yet!.... check out

http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/sa/SASC/2007/37.html

SA Police have wone the right to appeal and re-trial 10 of the orginal 20 charges!!!!. Workcare SA is not out of the brown stuff yet..

Also rumour has it they are nearly bunkrupt and if you do an Aust Securities and Investment Commsion search as per link below

http://www.search.asic.gov.au/cgi-bin/g ... &srchsrc=1

You will note thar filed on the 4/4/2008 to "Wind their company up". since then they have been granted a "limited ambulance licence" that will become even more limited and legislated in July 2009. Their property they lease in SA is up for lease (note workcare SA has had 5 different premises since starting in SA).

They have been trying to get other reputible companies to buy up their occuaptional health side so they can just to patient transport but no one is interested.

They had a lot of SAAS paramedics quit SAAS and join them when they first started ... they all wised up and left and went back to SAAS or other reputible private services i.e Mine medics ect... So all they are left with is "First Aiders called Paramedics".

Rumour also has it they have signed up some big companies in WA for occuaptional work but have no staff to kick the service off....

mmm. I dont think SJA WA has anything to worry about at all.

A friend off mine applied for a job when they advertised in W.A recently and has been told applications are on hold till further notice. Apprantley she got told they are attempting to break into the patient transfer market here and are trying to drum up at work down at the wachs, because thats the only place you can steal work from atm.

dlcat1 wrote:This is just my personal opinion, and is not meant as a criticism of the professionalism of any of the ambulance service providers, but I'm really not comfortable with this. [-o<

I think we have a great system in Australia with tax payer funded, centralised emergency services which can standardise training, equipment, procedures, interoperability, etc and are run as a service.

I would hate to see this system change to something like the US where each city/county has its own emergency services which might work well with the neighbours some of the time. I can't help but think this might be where we are heading.

My other big issue with private emergency care providers is that, unless they secure a source of government funding or are supported by a philanthropist, they have to be run as a business. I believe it is inevitable this will result in either increased costs passed onto the community/users, or a decrease in service levels to increase profit.

I can partially see where your coming from but i must disagree on a few things. ATM charges in the eastern states for ambulance transfers are higher than WA. Every state is different and WA is behind them by some 10 years. Whilst the HLT07 package covers the units of competency required, why must services run with different protocols, use different equipment or refuse certain services the use of particular essential pre-hospital drugs, inclusive of WAs primary service. Skills learnt in the degree course not able to be utilised so why teach them at all. Highly trained paramedics not able to use their skills on road but yet can use them in the air. All political inhouse Crap if you ask me. Legislate,regulate,communicate,co-operate, registrate and maybe worlds best practice may be achieved. I heard all the piss poor excuses as to why WA is the way it is . Surely the rest of AUS cant be doing it wrong lol.

Some more info on these guys they tried to get another reputible company to buy them out www.linkhealth.com.au (based in WA, SA and NT).....but they didnt get a sale.

Check out the following link

http://www.realcommercial.com.au/cgi-bi ... 1242399852

this is the real estate company trying to lease out the Work Care SA exisiting office, check out the pics and you will see their "Ambulances" and RAV 4 "response cars" in the back carpark. The place looks pretty empty a classic sign of a company in trouble I say.....