Australia’s first ever Paramedic Practitioners are one step closer to heading out on the road, with the Allan Labor Government’s innovative new master’s degree at Monash University now underway.
Minister for Ambulance Services Mary-Anne Thomas welcomed the first cohort of 30 students who are commencing the degree today – with the free course fulfilling a 2022 election commitment to boost the paramedic workforce and provide faster care to more Victorians.
Developed alongside Ambulance Victoria, Safer Care Victoria, paramedics, clinicians, hospitals and unions, the first cohort will graduate from the course in 2026 before deployment to regional Victoria.
The new specialised role will deliver graduates an expanded scope of practice – allowing them to deliver urgent care in the community and eliminating the need for a trip to hospital.
Graduates will have an expanded level of care via advanced clinical training, and will allow Paramedic Practitioners to make advanced judgments and undertake assessment and diagnostic investigations in the field.
They will also have the qualifications to deliver treatment and implement treatment plans, along with the ability to make referral to other providers as appropriate.
Made possible by a $20 million investment in Victorian Budget 2023/24, the course is open to eligible paramedics employed by Ambulance Victoria and have more than five years’ experience.
Last year’s budget also invested more than $200 million to support ongoing demand for ambulance services and connect Victorians with the right care – with an additional $76 million to deliver election commitments including the Centre of Excellence in Paramedicine at Victoria University and train up to an additional 40 MICA paramedics.
Since 2014, the Labor Government has invested more than $2 billion to recruit more than 2,200 additional paramedics, deliver 35 new or upgraded ambulance stations with construction on another 16 currently underway, and introduce innovative models of care.
These critical workforce investments come as paramedics experience high levels of demand, with the number of Code 1 call outs in the last quarter the second highest in the history of Ambulance Victoria.
As stated by Minister for Ambulance Services Mary-Anne Thomas
“Australia’s first ever Paramedic Practitioners will have an advanced skill set that will reduce hospitals admissions and take pressure off busy emergency departments – especially in regional Victoria.”
“Victoria continues to lead the nation in innovative models of care because our government has always backed our hardworking paramedics – boosting workforce numbers, delivering modern ambulance branches and rolling out advanced training.”
As stated by Member for Oakleigh Steve Dimopoulos
“Monash University has significant experience delivering courses in paramedicine, so our Australian-first paramedic practitioners are in some of the best hands as they undertake their free master’s degree.”
