About Us

Keeping our staff up-to-date with the latest clinical guidelines ensures we continue to focus on patient safety and provide the best possible care to all those who need us.

“Applying clinical practice guidelines for all our paramedic staff means we have a consistent approach in our assessment and management of a range of complex medical and traumatic conditions,” says Kate.

“Our guidelines are evidence-based;  these help us integrate the needs and values of our patients, the skills and experience of our clinicians and the best scientific information available, to guide us in our decision making.”

Kate says its encouraging to see the success of processes at Wellington Free that ensure patient safety every day, like the increased use of Clinical Paramedic Advisors in our Clinical Communication Centre.

“Their expertise focuses on the clinical needs whilst working with the patient so they receive the most appropriate care when they need it.”

With a whole range of paramedic skills and knowledge, it’s important to recognise that all staff have a different way of learning. 

Paramedic crews have been involved with clinical simulation for years, however this year Wellington Free embarked on clinical simulation training with more advanced technology to create the most realistic simulation possible.

At the Wellington Regional Centre for Simulation Education, staff get to experience a complex trauma scenario; developing their clinical expertise and decision making in a controlled environment.

Kate says simulation based learning integrates technical, behavioural and cognitive skills in a setting that individual clinicians would encounter in the course of their duties.

“It helps our crews to respond in the same manner they would normally, with a real patient, however they can also seek guidance or clarity from an educator for the purpose of learning.”

Kate says Wellington Free have recently looked at clinical governance from an organisational perspective, so staff understand what clinical governance, and in turn patient safety, means to them both as individuals and as professionals.

“This means our organisational culture and values are reflected in the processes and procedures we put in place to respond with clinical excellence in everything we do; helping to uphold a culture where safe,  world-class patient care is guaranteed by everyone involved in a patient’s journey.”

 “When I think about  this year’s Aotearoa’s Patient Safety Day theme of Getting through together it makes me pause and reflect on He Waka Eke Noa and what it means to be part of Wellington Free.

“For me, it means that I am not working alone - there is a vast network of people working alongside me to achieve the best possible outcome for the communities we serve each and every day.”

As part of Aotearoa Patient Safety Day (Tuesday 17 November), every day this week we are sharing how we ensure patient safety in all that we do.