Paramedics are key to a sustainable health workforce strategy

The Australasian College of Paramedicine (the College) welcomes the opportunity to contribute solutions and recommendations to the Victorian Government Health Workforce Strategy.

The College is the peak professional body representing and supporting paramedics and student paramedics across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand since 1973. The College champions the role of paramedics in emergency, urgent and primary care, driving a connected, multidisciplinary approach to high-quality healthcare in all communities. The College is future-focused and committed to enhancing patient-centred care through sustainable initiatives. We acknowledge the health workforce is large, complex and multi-disciplinary; our proposed solutions and ideas address the professional health settings where paramedics are uniquely skilled and can make the greatest impact.

Victoria requires a health workforce plan to overcome the shortage of workers needed to deliver care. Healthcare workers have been exposed to a challenging workplace during COVID-19 which has led to an increase in resignations. There is also a growing demand for fractional employment and a variety of employment across multiple employers which is impacting the available workforce and putting added pressure on the health system.

The College recommends a comprehensive and holistic health workforce plan for government to create and implement initiatives to attract and retain healthcare workers, particularly in rural and regional areas; investment in training to boost capability; a healthcare worker wellbeing strategy, and; the implementation of innovative models of care.

The health system must put the patient at the centre, and a workforce strategy needs to deliver the best care for the patient. A "whole health workforce” approach would be required to upgrade the current healthcare system, focusing on improvements for healthcare workers in the areas of supply, capability, wellbeing, and innovation. The College recommends several solutions to address paramedicine workforce issues in those areas.

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