Ambulance sector lacking paramedics

St John says the ambulance sector still needs another 500 paramedics.

The Government has announced it will spend $48 million on ambulance services over the next four years.

The bulk of the funding will pay for 100 new frontline staff for the sector.

St John provides the majority of the nation's ambulance services and chief executive Jaimes Wood says the increase in paramedics will be a big lift for the sector, but ultimately, it needs many more.

He says St John will need to continue to subsidise $12 million of its operations through fundraising, in the next financial year alone.

- NEWSTALK ZB