A former Nelson stripper who prompted a St John warning about "undesirables" entering the ambulance industry is starting a free street hospital in Christchurch.

Shane Casbolt, 25, launched the Lifecare Event Ambulance Service in December, offering patient transport and trained medics for events.

Casbolt's colourful work history includes volunteer firefighter, surf lifesaver, first aider and "ghost buster". Casbolt ran Dominate Christchurch Male Strippers, but closed the business after it got "too busy" and he did not have enough staff. He claims to have more than 10 years of emergency services experience.

He now has set his sights on running a street hospital. Casbolt told Stuff the project would start on Friday from 9pm until 3am, with their first night on the streets to be filmed. The street hospital will be available every Friday and Saturday night through summer.

READ MORE: Former Christchurch stripper starts up ambulance service

Two teams, of two to three people, would patrol the CBD. A detox area would be set up with a gazebo and some stretchers.

"It's pretty much just taking the stress off frontline ambulances and ED staff really. That's pretty much just providing buckets and treating if people need oxygen or cuts if people have been in fights.

"We are hoping to respond to medical-related jobs in the city and triage the patient and then decide whether they go to hospital, go to an after-hours medical centre or if they just go home."

The team would carry all the first response equipment an ambulance carries. Casbolt said his staff were highly trained and all have current First Aid, First Responder or Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) as well as a paramedic on standby.

St John district operations manager Dion Rosario advised the public to be "very cautious" of dealing with so-called paramedical and ambulance services that may not comply with industry standards.

"We strongly question the level of care this organisation can provide. Emergency medical technician (EMT) and paramedic are specific qualifications. We are not sure that this organisation has staff members practising at this level."

Casbolt, who is the sole EMT, said he had more than 10 years of experience in emergency services. He said he had qualifications in advanced first aid and basic life support, had been a St John volunteer youth cadet, volunteer firefighter and a surf lifesaver. In 2013 he set up the Nelson Animal Rescue pet ambulance and transport service for strays or animals in need of medical care.

"I don't see why St John should have any issue to be honest with you. At the end of the day all the staff are qualified so we're just providing a service that St John doesn't in Christchurch."

He added there would be "very strict criteria" regarding what could be filmed.

"There's got to be a release form that's filled out prior to the people being filmed as well."

In 2011, Casbolt's role at a crash scene scene in Nelson was questioned after he told a reporter he was a paramedic, but he later acknowledged that he was only a first-aider.

In the same year, Casbolt was convicted of impersonating an officer and sentenced to community work, but the penalty was later replaced with a $1300 fine.

He has an interest in the paranormal after being arrested in a former psychiatric hospital in 2013. When asked about the charges previously, Casbolt claimed to have been wrongfully convicted.

"That was false. Still to this day I don't know where that actually came from."