Analysis conducted by the Auditor-General in its 2021 report of activities at the National Ambulance Service has revealed that as of December 2021, 29 ambulances out of the 307 ambulances commissioned in 2020 were involved in road traffic accidents (RTA).
According to the report, the NAS provided 14 police reports out of the expected 29.
Nine of the fourteen police reports blamed the ambulance drivers for negligence, lack of care, and attention.
These accidents caused serious injuries and, in some cases, the death of those aboard the ambulance.
This confirms that the lack of CDs and regular defensive driving training has a negative impact on NAS operations.
The report concluded that NAS staff training was not based on identified staff knowledge gaps, and that training was not organized on a regular basis.
The report recommended that NAS develop a training program for EMT drivers and non-drivers based on identified staff training needs, and that refresher courses be offered on a regular basis for drivers and non-drivers to improve their skills.
In its response, NAS management agreed with the report’s findings and implementation recommendations.
It stated that the 2022 annual work program has been revised to include defensive driving refresher training for 200 EMT drivers.
