St John jobs under threat

Staff will know by the end of the month if their roles will be affected by significant cost...
Staff will know by the end of the month if their roles will be affected by significant cost-saving measures made necessary by the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Photo: ODT files
St John jobs could be under threat.

Staff will know by the end of the month if their roles will be affected by significant cost-saving measures made necessary by the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

St John chief executive Peter Bradley said while the organisation was grateful for government support announced in the Budget, it would still face a significant gap in the coming financial year.

"St John has historic and long-standing funding issues which have been well documented and are now exacerbated by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic," he said.

"We appreciate that the Government has been listening to St John and are confident that a more sustainable ambulance funding model will be introduced in 2021 when the emergency ambulance service contract is due for renewal.

"We are working through the detail of what these cost savings will look like and will be in a position to share with our people first and foremost, and then wider, by the end of the month."

An internal email warned St John staff it would "need to cut back on staff numbers in most directorates", according to a TVNZ report.