Excellence in Leadership Development of the QAS Strategy 2022 - 2027

Queensland Ambulance Service

Team: Nathan Williamson, Benjamin Johnson, Elizabeth Santillan, Susanna Morgan

In recent years, the Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) has undergone significant change, both internally and in response to complex factors impacting Queensland’s broader system of health care service delivery. These changes have driven our organisation to become more agile and innovative as we explore new ways to meet the challenges and capitalise on the strategic opportunities inherent within our future operating environment, whilst ensuring that our organisation remains capable of meeting the health care needs of Queenslanders. We have expanded our models of service beyond the traditional concepts of an ambulance service, we have found new ways of working, new ways to care for our patients, and new ways to support and develop our people. However, we also recognise that these achievements have been founded on the understanding that to continue to meet patient and community needs will require continual improvement across our organisation.

With this in mind, from 2021-22, the QAS embarked on a process to redefine its 5-year strategy and ensure that the directions required to ensure the sustainable, adaptive, and responsive delivery of contemporary health care to Queensland by the QAS are welldefined and understood by our organisation, and its stakeholders.

This process culminated in July 2022 with the release of the QAS Strategy 2022-2027. While the Strategy is essential towards ensuring the ongoing success of the organisation, it is the process development of the document, which delivered significant, immediate and ongoing benefits to the QAS as a whole.

During three distinct and planned phases: ‘Preparation’, ‘Engagement’ and ‘Implementation’, the development of the QAS Strategy was underpinned by continuous, broad and consistent stakeholder communication and engagement to ensure that the final product delivered a relevant, meaningful and useable plan for the organisation to ensure it remains capable of achieving its Vision of ‘Excellence in Ambulance Services’.

Across this process, from March to July 2022, the QAS engaged on a face-to-face basis with over 2,000 employees and other key stakeholders, holding meaningful discussions to shape the design of the Strategy. This process of meaningful staff led, employee co-design and stakeholder engagement provided a strong foundation to ensure ongoing understanding and alignment of organisation and employee performance as the Strategy is implemented over its five-year lifespan.