• 2nd Sep 2024

2024 CAA Congress

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Drawing attendees from across Australasia, The Council of Ambulance Authorities (CAA) 2024 Congress was held from the 14-16 August at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The highly anticipated premier event on the ambulance sector calendar, this year’s Congress focused on leadership excellence, emergency management, sustainability in ambulance services, clinical excellence, innovation and technology.

CAA Congress proved to be a strong networking event, with a combination of scheduled events added to the program including the exciting Welcome Function which officially kicked off Congress overlooking the Yarra River. These functions allow and entice ambulance service leaders and delegates to meet, mingle and discuss the challenges and rewards of their service.

As part of CAA Congress, the host state provides a study tour for CAA’s international guests, taking a chance to visit and learn about world-leading Australasian ambulance services. An enriching experience began with a visit to Ambulance Victoria’s Aeromedical base at Essendon Fields, where participants explored helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft vital for emergency medical services. The tour continued with a stop at Adult Retrieval Victoria, offering insights into their critical operations, including the innovative Telestroke program, which enhances stroke care across the state. At Victoria University, the attending group learned about the upcoming Centre for Excellence in Paramedicine, a promising initiative aimed at advancing paramedic education and training.

The study tour concluded with a visit to Ambulance Victoria’s Sunshine Capability Hub, where participants were introduced to the secondary triage programs that help streamline emergency responses and ensure appropriate care. Further presentations covered the challenges and strategies involved in delivering ambulance services across regional Victoria, providing a comprehensive overview of the state's emergency medical infrastructure.

With a myriad of information at attendees’ disposal over the two-day event, CAA Congress acted as the learning centre for delegates. With an exciting list of keynote speakers ready to distribute their learnings, in both the plenary and concurrent sessions, delegates were treated to a wide range of topics and inspirations. Alongside the variety of topical speeches, the expo hall was also filled with exhibitors as well demonstrations from sponsors and industry leaders.

CAA Congress presenters covered a range of important topics, including Reducing Misogyny and Improving Sexual Safety in Statutory UK Ambulance Services by Anna Parry, AACE, Learnings and Leadership Through Major Crisis by Dr Tony Smith and Chris Harrison, Hato Hone St John, Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Preparedness by Erica Van Ash, as well as Sustainability in Ambulance services by Dr Shohreh Majd, CAA. See the full program and their presenters at https://caacongress.net.au/index.php/program/.

Thursday night saw Queensland Ambulance Service dominate the coveted Awards for Excellence. Queensland Ambulance Service was awarded three awards across the six award categories, as well as the grand prize, the Star Award for their project The Queensland Ambulance Service Falls Co-Response Program. Not short of competition in their own categories, Ambulance Victoria, Hato Hone St John, and St John WA were winners across Excellence in Technology, Excellence in Leadership, and Excellence in Mental Health and Wellbeing, respectively.

With the festivities ending on Friday afternoon, Rob Elliot, Chief Executive of SA Ambulance Service took to the stage to announce the 2025 Congress which will be held from 17th August in Adelaide, South Australia. Adding to the excitement for 2025, the International Round Table of Community Paramedicine (IRCP) is joining the CAA Congress making for a fabulous week-long event.

Visit the CAA website to see the award winners, videos, the CAA Congress 2025 website, and other materials from the event and from the organisation: www.caa.net.au

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