The Victorian initiative is the first of its kind in Australia.
Australia’s first team of paramedic practitioners is one step closer to hitting the road, with the introduction of a bill into the Victorian Parliament to enshrine the role into law.
The state’s premier Jacinta Allan and Ambulance Services minister Mary-Anne Thomas joined paramedics in North Melbourne to make the announcement this week.
They said the Paramedic Practitioners Bill 2024 would allow qualified paramedics to deliver a higher level of care to patients when and where they need it.
“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 Ms Allan.
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.
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, effectively meaning they can prescribe and supply medicines on the spot.
The first cohort of 30 paramedics is currently undertaking the 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 are expected to be deployed to regional Victoria in 2026.
Once graduated, they’ll be able to treat conditions that commonly require people to attend hospital – including urinary catheter care, wound care and closure, minor infections, dislocations and fractures.
The Victorian Budget 2023-24 promised a $20 million investment to establish the new role, including delivering the new degree at no cost to eligible paramedics who have more than five years’ experience.
The government is also supporting the training of 40 additional mobile intensive care ambulance (MICA) paramedics – the largest cohort of trainees in history.