The Australasian College of Paramedicine (the College) applauds the Australian Government, Department of Health, Disability and Ageing for its decisive amendment of the Operational Guidance for Urgent Care Clinics1, which now appropriately recognises paramedics as part of the MUCC minimum staffing model.
This amendment marks a significant milestone in the evolution of urgent care delivery in Australia. For well over a year, the College has actively and consistently advocated for this change, engaging in constructive dialogue with the Department to ensure that the vital role of paramedics in urgent care settings is recognised and supported.
John Bruning, CEO of the College, stated: "This amendment is a welcome and necessary clarification for MUCC employers and employees. It affirms the valuable role paramedics play in urgent care settings, beyond ambulance services, and provides clear guidance for their engagement in these clinics. We are pleased to see our advocacy reflected in this update and the positive impact this will have on the urgent care workforce and person-centred care."
Paramedics bring a unique and highly skilled clinical capability to urgent care clinics, particularly in the assessment and diagnosis of acute presentations, triage, emergency and urgent care. The inclusion of paramedics enhances the multidisciplinary nature of these clinics and strengthens the capacity to deliver timely, high-quality care to patients with urgent but non-life-threatening conditions.
Importantly, paramedics are a registered health profession under the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra), regulated by the Paramedicine Board of Australia2. This ensures that paramedics working in MUCCs meet nationally consistent standards of education, professional conduct, and clinical competence—further reinforcing their suitability for roles in urgent care environments.
We commend the Department for its responsiveness to stakeholder feedback and its commitment to evolving the MUCC model in line with contemporary healthcare needs. The College looks forward to continuing its collaboration with the Department to support the implementation of this guidance and to ensure paramedics are effectively integrated into urgent care teams across the country.
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Media contact: media@paramedics.org
1Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. Medicare Urgent Care Clinics Operational Guidance. July 2025. Available from: Medicare UCC Operational Guidance | Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, accessed July 2025.
2Paramedicine Board of Australia. Professional capabilities for registered paramedics. June 2021. Available from: Paramedicine Board of Australia - Professional capabilities for registered paramedics, accessed June 2025.
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The College is the peak professional body representing and supporting paramedics and student paramedics across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand since 1973.
The College acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the traditional custodians of the land and sea in which we live and work, we recognise their continuing connection to land, sea and culture and pay our respects to Elders past, present and future.
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