The St John Ambulance and Rescue Service is reminding islanders of the benefits of joining the Ambulance Subscription Scheme which provides free emergency ambulance responses, including assessment and treatment by qualified clinicians for subscribers.

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 is a contribution towards the operating costs of the service, with the remaining costs being met in a variety of ways including the subscription scheme and charges.  An ambulance attendance in Guernsey is not free, so anyone who isn’t a member of the subscription scheme will be charged for an ambulance attendance. The scheme is available to join irrespective of your age or pre-existing medical conditions.

Membership of the 2024 scheme for Guernsey and Herm residents is £63 for an adult (aged 18 years to 65 years) £29 for a child (under 18) and £46 for a senior citizen (65 and over). For Sark residents (all ages) membership is a flat rate of £149.

Monthly Direct Debit payments are now available, instead of an annual one-off payment. The monthly rates are: adults £5.25, children £2.42, senior citizens £3.83 and Sark residents £12.42. Payment can also be made by card on the subscription portal https://subscription.stjohn.gg, or by card, cheques and cash in person at the ambulance station reception (Monday to Friday 08:30-16:30), cheques can also be sent in the post to St John Ambulance and Rescue Service, Rohais, St Peter Port, GY1 1YN.

Members of the scheme receive an annual reminder explaining what the cost for the next period will be and the option to cancel if membership is no longer required. For new subscribers, membership must be taken for a minimum period of 12 months.

Without a subscription, an ambulance responding to an emergency call can incur a charge of £447 (plus an extra £86 if additional paramedic skills are required), a non-emergency patient transfer booked in advance by a healthcare professional will incur a charge of up to £144.

Renewal emails and letters for existing members are being sent out this month and anyone with an existing direct debit will be automatically renewed and therefore they do not need to take any action unless their details have changed or they wish to cancel.

A Subscription Scheme membership will cover an individual for up to 10 non-emergency patient transfers, 5 emergency ambulance attendances and 5 marine  ambulance transfers. (This does not apply to transfers in respect of renal dialysis treatment, which are unlimited when arranged by a healthcare professional). Should an individual reach the allotted number of transfers within their membership period, they will have the option to purchase a top-up to the subscription. Top-ups are at an increased rate and subject to a maximum of two in any one year, which is still less than the cost of an ambulance without a subscription.

2024 Ambulance Subscription Scheme Annual Cost

2024 Standard Ambulance charges (No subscription)

The full range of charges and the opportunity to take out a subscription can be found on the subcription website https://stjohn.gg/subscription-scheme/ or by request.

Chief Executive Officer Mark Mapp said: “In our ongoing commitment to providing cost-effective and accessible emergency medical services, St John Ambulance 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.”