Chris Oldfield, Naracoorte Community News
Naracoorte and Millicent have welcomed three new paramedic trainees to their dedicated SA Ambulance Service (SAAS) teams.
Jasmine White has joined Naracoorte, while Ben Merchant and Amy-Lee Hay have teamed up with Millicent’s SAAS.
They are among 14 trainees posted to country areas around the State and praised by Health Minister Stephen Wade.
All 14 trainees recently completed the SA Ambulance Service’s (SAAS’s) Graduated Paramedic Pathway (GPP).
The pathway gives experienced and qualified ambulance officers the opportunity to gain tertiary paramedicine qualifications.
Mr Wade said the recruits were in addition to SAAS’s annual recruitment of intern paramedics.
“Our 14 new recruits are undertaking diploma level courses delivered by Central Queensland University, whilst at the same time working for SAAS and gaining valuable experience on the road under the guided support of paramedic mentors,” he said.
“This is just one of a range of initiatives being implemented to deliver more paramedics to country SA and support our regional communities.”
Mr Wade said there were now more paramedics, ambulance officers and triple zero call takers in SA than ever before.
He said state-wide another 51 paramedics would be on the road within 12 months.
SAAS acting executive director of country operations Robert Tolson praised the paramedic pathway and welcomed the recruits bound for regional areas.
He believed the pathway attracted candidates from a range of backgrounds, including previous SAAS volunteers.
“The introduction of a pathway for our ambulance officers to become qualified paramedics gives them the option to study and gain valuable skills and paramedic experience, whilst on the job,” he said.
“Paramedicine is a very highly regarded profession and it is absolutely fantastic that we have been able to offer those who already have a passion for healthcare the opportunity to be our paramedics of the future and stay in regional communities.”
The South East currently has five dedicated paramedic and ambulance crews, and 160 volunteers.
One of crews, based at the bottom of the South East in Mount Gambier is a dedicated Regional Medical Transfer Service vehicle (RMTS) crew, focussed on intra-regional patient transfers as well as emergency responses.
“GPP students are integrated into the 24/7 career paramedic ambulance emergency response and work with a qualified paramedic mentor initially and progress through the pathway with a paramedic partner,” a SAAS spokesperson said.
“SAAS paramedics are highly trained individuals and registered health professionals with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
“They are able to provide a higher level of medical assessment, treatment and care to patients in the out-of-hospital environment.”
This article appeared in the Naracoorte Community News.
