Australia’s first ever Paramedic Practitioners are a step closer to hitting the road, with the Victorian Government today introducing a Bill to enshrine the role into law.
Premier Jacinta Allan and Minister for Ambulance Services, Mary-Anne Thomas, joined paramedics in North Melbourne to announce that the Paramedic Practitioners Bill 2024 will allow qualified paramedics to deliver a higher level of care to patients when and where they need it.
The new specialised role will give graduates an expanded role – allowing them to independently deliver urgent care to reduce pressure on Victoria’s busy ambulance services and emergency departments.
“We listen to our workforce who told us Australia’s first Paramedic Practitioners will make a huge difference – they’ll have advanced skills that will help people right across regional Victoria,” said Minister Thomas.
Under the expanded role, Paramedic Practitioners will be able to assess, diagnose and treat many conditions locally without the need to transfer patients to hospital.
The biggest change will see Paramedic Practitioners able to handle and administer scheduled medicines, so they can prescribe and supply medicines on the spot to Victorians.
“This is a big deal: the first paramedics in Australia who can deliver advanced on-the-spot care and prescribe medicines – saving many Victorians a trip to hospital,” said Premier Allan.
The first cohort of 30 paramedics are currently undertaking the nation-leading Paramedic Practitioner master’s degree at Monash University – with a second cohort set to begin the course next year.
Developed alongside Ambulance Victoria, Safer Care Victoria, paramedics, clinicians, and unions, the first 30 students will be deployed to regional Victoria in 2026.
Once graduated, they’ll be able to treat conditions that commonly see people visit a hospital – including urinary catheter care, wound care and closure, minor infections, dislocations and fractures.
The Victorian Budget 2023/24 invested $20 million to establish the role of Paramedic Practitioner, including delivering the new degree at no cost to eligible paramedics who have more than five years’ experience.
