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Ambulance subscription charges are going up slightly in 2024 but St John Ambulance and Rescue Service says a new monthly direct debit payment scheme will keep them affordable for everyone.
The single adult charge has gone up from £59 to £63 while a child's fee has risen from £27 to £29.
Run by the St John Ambulance and Rescue Service itself, the subscription scheme covers up to 10 non-emergency patient transfers, five emergency ambulance attendances and five marine ambulance transfers over a calendar year.
Charged at £63 for an adult, £29 for a child, £46 for an OAP and £149 for a Sark resident, the costs are far less than the full charges without a subscription.
An emergency ambulance call out can cost £447, plus an extra £86 if additional paramedic skills are required, while a non-emergency patient transfer booked in advance by a healthcare professional costs up to £144.
Every year the ambulance service responds to around 7000 emergency calls and around 3000 non-emergency patient transfer cases.
St John provides the ambulance service on behalf of the States of Guernsey through a grant from the Committee for Health & Social Care. The grant contributes towards the operating costs of the service, but the rest is met in a variety of ways including the subscription scheme and charges.
Pictured: Guernsey's ambulances deliver patients to the hospital for both planned and emergency treatment.
Chief Executive Officer Mark Mapp said as the ambulance service is not a free benefit in Guernsey, anyone who isn’t a member of the subscription scheme must be charged to use it.
“In our ongoing commitment to providing cost-effective and accessible emergency medical services, St John Amb ulance and Rescue annually reviews our subscription scheme. Recognising the challenges of medical inflation exceeding the current cost of living, we prioritise equal access to our vital services for the entire community.
"This year, in a proactive effort to address health inequalities, we are pleased to introduce a monthly direct debit option for our subscription scheme. By enabling costs to be spread over 12 months, we aim to enhance accessibility and ensure that our essential services are within reach for everyone in the community.
"St John Ambulance and Rescue is dedicated to evolving our practices to serve the community better.
"We remain steadfast in providing high - quality, accessible emergency medical services.”
Anyone can sign up for the ambulance subscription scheme whatever your age or pre-existing medical conditions.
Patients needing renal dialysis treatment have their ambulance transfers arranged by a healthcare professional, and any others who reach the individual allotted number of transfers within their membership period can buy a top-up to the subscription as well.
The new monthly Direct Debit payments cost £5.25 for adults, £2.42 for children, £3.83 for senior citizens, and £12.42 for Sark residents.
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