When Stuart talks about patient transport, he doesn’t start with vehicles or equipment; he starts with people.

For Stuart, caring for others has never been just a job; it’s been a lifelong connection. His journey with St John Ambulance began at just seven-and-a-half years old as a cadet, setting him on a path that would eventually lead him to help train the next generation of Non-Emergency Patient Transport (NEPT) professionals across Victoria.

Today, as a full-time trainer and experienced Patient Transport Officer (PTO), Stuart helps prepare students for a career many people don’t realise exists, but one that quietly supports thousands of Victorians every year. Alongside his training role, Stuart continues working operationally in NEPT, bringing current, real-world experience directly into the classroom.

The Care You Don’t Always See

Non-Emergency Patient Transport - NEPT plays a vital role in the healthcare system, helping patients safely travel between home, hospitals, aged care facilities and specialist appointments when emergency ambulance care isn’t required.

It is not about urgency; it is about dignity, reassurance and continuity of care.

“Non-emergency transport is taking people where they need to go when there’s no rush,” Stuart explains. “But that doesn’t make it any less important.”

Having spent years transporting patients himself, Stuart understands firsthand how much trust patients place in their transport crews during vulnerable moments.

Behind each journey is a person who may be vulnerable, recovering, living with chronic illness, or facing some of the most challenging moments of their lives.

Sometimes, those moments leave a lasting impression.

“Occasionally we transport palliative patients, people on their final journey to care,” Stuart says quietly. “Being able to provide that service to them and their families… that matters. That’s why I do it.”

From Student to Trainer — and Still Learning

Stuart’s career with St John has evolved over decades. After maintaining his first aid skills throughout various careers, a workplace trainer encouraged him to consider teaching.

A nudge from his sister convinced him to apply, and nearly two decades later, he is still helping others discover their own path into healthcare.

Initially a first aid trainer, Stuart joined patient transport training in 2018 after being asked a simple question: Would you like to teach NEPT? His first response? “What’s that?”

Since then, he has helped train hundreds of students, guiding them from complete beginners to confident professionals ready for the road. Importantly, Stuart’s teaching is shaped by his ongoing work as a Patient Transport Officer, allowing him to share practical insights drawn from real shifts and real patients.

“As a trainer, I take people who have never had any medical experience and help them grow into someone who can stand their ground and do the job,” he says. “Watching that transformation is incredibly rewarding.”

Learning From the Ground Up

One of the defining features of St John’s NEPT training is accessibility.

Students don’t need a healthcare background, just motivation.

“What are they expected to know when they start? Absolutely nothing,” Stuart says. “All they need is the desire to learn.”

The course combines classroom learning with real-world experience, covering communication, infection control, patient care, and extensive manual handling skills essential for safely supporting patients.

Students then complete on-road placements alongside experienced crews, gaining hands-on exposure to the realities of patient transport.

“We teach the skeleton of what a Patient Transport Officer is,” Stuart explains. “When they go on road, that’s where they build the muscles and experience.”

It is an approach grounded in Stuart’s own experience on the road, where adaptability, teamwork and patient communication quickly become second nature.

More Than Driving — Supporting People

While most NEPT journeys are calm and planned, the role still requires clinical awareness and readiness for unexpected situations.

“There’s a strong focus on life-threatening scenarios,” Stuart says. “They’re rare, but when they happen, you need to know exactly what to do while waiting for emergency services.”

For Stuart, the balance between technical skill and human connection defines the profession.

“When you are on the road, you are helping people directly, often when they are anxious or unsure. Just being there makes a difference.”

Those lessons come directly from Stuart’s own time responding to patients’ needs in real transport settings, experiences he now passes on to every cohort he teaches.

A Pathway into Healthcare

Demand for trained patient transport professionals continues to grow across Victoria, creating opportunities for people seeking meaningful career change or entry into healthcare.

Graduates of St John’s HLT31120 Certificate III Non-Emergency Patient Transport program leave job-ready, equipped with nationally recognised skills applicable across the industry.

“St John supports students every step of the way,” Stuart says. “Our trainers are passionate, and students get significant time learning on the road, that real experience is invaluable.”

Many graduates continue their careers within St John Ambulance, while others join healthcare providers across the state, contributing to a stronger, more connected health system.

Teaching the Next Generation

Although Stuart admits he sometimes misses being on the road full-time, training offers something equally powerful: multiplying impact.

“Helping one patient is incredibly rewarding,” he says. “But training people who will go on to help hundreds, that’s something special.”

It’s a role that reflects St John Ambulance’s broader mission: building community capability and supporting care beyond emergencies.

After more than four decades connected to the organisation, Stuart still finds purpose in seeing students succeed. Continuing to work within NEPT while training ensures his teaching remains grounded in the realities of the role students are preparing to enter.

“All you need is the willingness to learn,” he says. “If you are ready to put in the work, you can go far.”

Care That Keeps Communities Moving

Every day across Victoria, St John Ambulance Non-Emergency Patient Transport crews help patients attend treatment, return home safely, and access the care they need, journeys that may not make headlines but profoundly affect lives.

And behind every one of those journeys is someone like Stuart, helping ensure the next generation is ready to continue that care.

Because sometimes, the most important healthcare moments aren’t emergencies; they are the quiet journeys where compassion travels alongside the patient.

Interested in a Career in Non-Emergency Patient Transport?

St John Ambulance Victoria offers comprehensive training designed for people starting fresh or seeking a meaningful career change.

Learn more about upcoming courses and pathways into patient transport at: Certificate Courses | HLT31115 Non Emergency Patient Transport TAE40116 Training & Assessment BSB42015 Leadership & Management