When Guernsey’s St John Emergency Ambulance Service was unable to get a uniform from suppliers in the UK, colleagues from St John New Zealand stepped in to help.
Now, staff from the St John Emergency Ambulance Service have a smart new and practical look for 2021 thanks to the new uniform from the Southern Hemisphere. The dark green trousers and short sleeve shirt features the St John logo with the white eight-pointed cross on a black background. St John New Zealand and the St John Emergency Ambulance Service are both part of the International Order of St John and share the same logo. Guernsey and New Zealand are also two of only three jurisdictions in the world where St John operates the statutory emergency ambulance service.
Steve Ford, Transformation and Development Manager said: “We started looking for a uniform supplier in the UK, however because we are a relatively small service it was difficult to find anyone who was able to supply what we wanted at the right price. We trialled a few alternatives, but having a new uniform made with our own logos and branding was cost prohibitive. Added to that the Covid-19 pandemic meant that demand for ambulance uniform in the UK went up dramatically and stocks were snapped up by bigger organisations.”
“We approached our colleagues in New Zealand and they were keen to help us. Because we share the same logo, their supplier, Profile Ltd, was just able to ship us the quantities we needed. We are delighted to have struck up such a good relationship with St John New Zealand and Profile Ltd and we are really grateful for their co-operation.”
Chief Ambulance Officer Mark Mapp added: “Uniform is an essential part of PPE (personal protective equipment) for clinicians and our old uniform was getting old and starting to look scruffy. This new uniform is not only very smart but also practical. It is fantastic that different parts of St John on opposite sides of the world have been able to work together on this project. I’d like to thank our colleagues in Auckland for their help.”
The new uniform features the St John logo on the breast pocket and each arm, along with the word ambulance on the front. All clinical staff including Emergency Care Assistants, Emergency Medical Technicians, Paramedics, Ambulance Reserves and Senior Officers will wear the same uniform, with clinical grade or rank indicated on shoulder epilates.
“This is an operational uniform and as all clinical staff, irrespective of rank, are operational and respond to medical emergencies is it fitting that everyone wears the same uniform. If members of the senior team attend meetings or formal functions they still have the option of wearing a white shirt and or dress uniform,” added Mark Mapp.