More Future Paramedic Practitioners Hit Books
Australia’s first ever Paramedic Practitioners are one step closer to heading out on the road in 2026, with the second cohort of paramedics hitting the books at Monash University this week.
Minister for Ambulance Services Mary-Anne Thomas today visited the university’s state of the art simulation facilities to meet some of the students who will soon be able to deliver regional Victorians a higher level of care once they complete the nation-leading Paramedic Practitioner master’s degree.
The new specialised role will give graduates an expanded role – allowing them to independently deliver urgent care while also reducing pressure on Victoria’s busy ambulance services and emergency departments.
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.
Developed alongside Ambulance Victoria, Safer Care Victoria, paramedics, clinicians, and unions, the first 25 students will be deployed to regional and rural Victoria next year – fulfilling a 2022 election commitment.
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.
Since 2014, the Labor Government has invested more than $2 billion into ambulance services – recruiting more than 2,200 additional paramedics, delivering 41 new or upgraded ambulance stations and establishing a new Centre for Paramedicine in partnership with Victoria University.
The Government is also supporting the training of 40 additional Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance (MICA) paramedics with AV welcoming their largest cohort of MICA trainees in history.
These investments are as important as ever, with the latest quarterly performance data revealing Victoria’s hardworking paramedics continue to face record demand, responding to nearly 100,000 Code 1 cases this quarter – an increase of 3,000 from last year.
As stated by Minister for Ambulance Services Mary-Anne Thomas
“We will always back our hardworking paramedics – because we know that boosting workforce numbers, delivering modern ambulance branches and rolling out advanced training will mean better, faster care for all Victorians.”
“We listened to our paramedic workforce who told us Australia’s first Paramedic Practitioners will make a huge difference to regional Victoria – delivering urgent care and reducing demand on our regional hospitals.”
As stated by Member for Oakleigh Steve Dimopoulos
“The delivery of this world-class course at Monash University is going to make a massive difference to so many Victorians once our Paramedic Practitioners hit the road from next year.”
https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2025-02/260228-More-Future-Paramedic-Practitioners-Hit-The-Books.pdf