The Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) attends to over 1,000,000 incidents per year. Over 400,000 of these incidents are considered non-life threatening, or subacute. The QAS is designing a training program that will enable many of our experienced paramedics to better manage these subacute patients.
The QAS recognises that health professionals working within communities may be better suited to provide care for many of our subacute patients. Referral directly from the pre-hospital environment to community based health professionals, represents a significant departure from our traditional work practices. The QAS is therefore developing a Graduate Certificate in Primary Health Paramedicine.
The goal of this training program is to develop an advanced paramedic clinician that is capable of assessing and defining patients that are suitable for community based care (as opposed to ED based care). This clinician will have the standard scope of practice a paramedic, but extra skills to in the following areas:
- Advanced and holistic history taking and health assessment skills:
- Advanced communication, negotiation and collaboration skills:
- Advanced knowledge of common primary health, chronic and complex medical conditions:
- Advanced knowledge of, and relationships with, local health, community and welfare agencies.
We are now inviting community based health professionals to comment and contribute to the development of this training program. We also acknowledge that the capacity for the QAS to perform this new role, safely and effectively, is somewhat dependant on the collaboration and engagement. The QAS is therefore eager to both inform and engage with community care providers about these activities.
More information about his program can be obtained from the QAS project officer Greg Reaburn on:
Mobile: 0423 026 865