October 2024

Issue 13 – October 2024

From the Chair
Priority news
Board news
Students and graduates
- Finishing your studies in the next three months? Apply for registration now
What’s new?
Want more information?

From the Chair

More than 25,000 paramedics are now registered in Australia, working across the public and private sectors. The profession continues to expand, requiring agility in working across different areas to deliver high quality healthcare. Patient safety, clinical quality and effective participation in transdisciplinary team approaches are paramount for future development of the profession.

I recommend reading the Unleashing the potential of our health workforce – Scope of practice review being led by Professor Mark Cormack. This review is examining the evidence about health professionals working to their full scope of practice in primary care and identifying opportunities to remove existing barriers. The final report is due to be completed later this month.

This review is important to health workforce planning and complements the Paramedicine Board’s current review examining regulating advanced practice for paramedicine through the development of national standards and practitioner endorsement arrangements under the National Law.

As always, take care and be safe.

Professor Stephen Gough ASM
Chair, Paramedicine Board of Australia

Priority news

It’s time to renew your registration – renew now to avoid late fees

Paramedics have until 30 November to renew their general or non-practising registration. If you submit your application to renew on time, you can continue practising while your application is assessed. Renewing on time also means you’ll avoid late fees which apply after 30 November 2024.

Keep an eye out for your reminder email from Ahpra with your link to online renewal.

You can read the renewal FAQs on the Ahpra website for tips on logging in and for more information about renewal, read the news item.

Australasian College of Paramedicine survey – have your say

The next round of the Australasian Paramedicine Workforce Survey is opening soon!

This high-impact, three-year study commissioned by the Australasian College of Paramedicine explores the demographic, career trajectory, work motivations and conditions for those working in clinical, management and educational capacities within paramedicine.

Your voice will provide the data required to effect change across health policy, inform future workforce planning and, more broadly, engage paramedics in multidisciplinary team-based care.

Find out more about how you can contribute to this study on the APWS website.

3G network closure and emergency devices – talk to your patients

From Monday 28 October 2024, Telstra and Optus will close their 3G networks.

Devices such as in-home personal emergency alarms, insulin pumps and pacemakers that rely on the 3G network for voice calls won’t be able to make triple zero (000) calls when the network is shut down. People who use these devices will need to contact their service provider to see if their device is affected.

It is estimated that approximately 200,000 people who use these devices do not know that they rely on the 3G network to work. We are asking practitioners to talk to potentially affected patients and clients about the change and what they need to do to stay safe and connected.

More information is available at ‘3G is closing: check your tech’ on the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association website.

Board news

CPD registration standard and supporting resources

All registered paramedics must complete 30 hours of suitable continuing professional development (CPD) activities each year to comply with the CPD registration standard for paramedics.

The Board’s website features a range of resources to help you meet the minimum CPD requirements. These resources include:

tips for planning your CPD
CPD activities that meet the standard
identifying your CPD learning goals
CPD reflection
updated CPD portfolio/log book
fact sheet on CPD exemptions
CPD checklist, and
FAQs on the CPD registration standard.

You can find these on the Board’s website under CPD registration standard.

Review of accreditation standards and professional capabilities

The Paramedicine Accreditation Standards (Accreditation standards) that have been in use since 2020 are currently being reviewed by the Paramedicine Accreditation Committee (the committee) with the support of a project team from Ahpra. This review is being carried out in conjunction with the Paramedicine Board’s review of the Professional capabilities for registered paramedics (the capabilities).

The capabilities have a key role in articulating the Board’s professional practice expectations of entry level paramedics. The Accreditation standards provide a regulatory framework for providers of entry-to-practice paramedicine programs that guides the design, implementation and review of these programs to ensure that all capabilities are developed by graduates before applying for general registration. The overall focus of the review is to improve the capacity of education providers to ensure entry level paramedics can meet the capabilities, and to ensure that graduate paramedics are safe and competent to practise autonomously upon graduation.

The draft revised standards have been updated to provide clarity and reduce duplication in several areas including work integrated learning (WIL), recognition of prior learning (RPL), and program design and development. WIL is noted for the critical role it plays in educating paramedics to meet the required capabilities, and the revised RPL content highlights the potential future role of a Graduate Entry Master’s pathway to enable health professionals with relevant skills and experience to enter the paramedicine profession (in addition to the existing pathways). Improving program design and development elements will better guide and support education providers in delivering high quality, fit-for-purpose programs of study.

The committee will be consulting in the coming months on the redraft of the Accreditation standards. When this consultation opens, we will encourage all program providers, academics, WIL providers and paramedics to actively engage in future consultation on the redrafted Accreditation standards and the capabilities. If you would like more information, please contact the Ahpra Program Accreditation team at program.accreditation@ahpra.gov.au.

Latest workforce data released

The Board’s latest quarterly registration data report covers the period to 30 June 2024. At that date, there were 25,345 registered paramedics nationally. Of these, 24,637 had general registration and 708 had non-practising registration.

Paramedic numbers by gender (general and non-practising registration)

By gender, the national percentages are 50.6% female (12,834), 49.3% male (12,501) and <0.1% (9) not stated, intersex or indeterminate.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander paramedics

There are 527 paramedics who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. This is 2.1% of the total registrant number.

For further data breakdowns by age, gender, registration type and principal place of practice, visit the Board’s Statistics page.

Students and graduates

Finishing your studies in the next three months? Apply for registration now

If you’re studying to become a paramedic and are about to finish your course, you can apply for registration now. Getting your application in early helps avoid any delays and helps get you into the workforce sooner. If you apply before you finish your study, we can start assessing your application while we wait for your graduate results.

Before you can start working as a paramedic you must registered with the Paramedicine Board of Australia (the Board). Your application is managed by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra).

Easy steps to apply online

Create your account using Ahpra’s online services and complete your application.
Upload your documents and pay the required fees. Check that you have provided all required documents to prove you’ve met the registration standards, including certified copies of your photo ID.
Wait for your education provider to provide your graduate results to Ahpra.

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander graduates

Ahpra’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement and Support team is there to assist you through the registration process.

The support team consists of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, and they provide a one-on-one service. They can assist you to navigate the registration process, provide regular phone contact, and advise on any disclosures you made on your registration application (for example, about impairments) that the Board may need to consider.

The support team is committed to assisting you to get registered promptly so you can start making vital contributions to culturally safe healthcare for your communities. If, after reading the handy hints below, you would still like some help with your application for registration, please email the support team at mobengagementsupport@ahpra.gov.au.

Handy hints to help you apply

Watch our video to get your application right: Applying for graduate registration.
You’ll find helpful advice, tips for avoiding common causes of delay, and downloadable information flyers on the Graduate applications page of the Ahpra website.
Read our news item for more information about applying.

What's new?

Good virtual care practices

Over 25 per cent of Australians have had at least one telehealth consultation for their own health in the last 12 months, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics data.

Ahpra and the National Boards have published virtual care information for health practitioners, the public and employers about accessing and providing safe and effective virtual care.

Practitioners and consumers are increasingly choosing virtual care alternatives as we continue to see growth in the adoption of technology, online prescribing and the use of health apps. What was once seen as a temporary approach to enable healthcare in a global pandemic is now widely accepted as just another way to see your practitioner.

These documents replace the previous Telehealth guidance for practitioners, which was developed to address the impact of COVID-19 restrictions.

This information is not new and relies on the existing principles within the National Boards’ regulatory framework, such as codes of conduct and other relevant standards and guidelines. It has been developed as a helpful resource for healthcare providers and consumers to understand what good virtual care should look like.

Applying your code of conduct to evolving technologies – AI in healthcare

Are you using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in your practice?

AI is rapidly becoming integrated into everyday healthcare and has the potential to transform and support new and innovative ways of working. So how do you ensure when using these new technologies that you maintain the continued high standard of care expected by your patients and clients?

Ahpra and National Boards support the safe use of AI in healthcare, recognising the significant potential to improve health outcomes and create a more person-centred health system.

While the potential of AI to improve diagnostics and disease detection has been reported for some time, recent commentary has focused on the benefits for health practitioners for improved care and patient satisfaction, including reducing administrative burdens and health practitioner burnout.

As new tools emerge, so do the unique practical and ethical issues associated with its use in a healthcare setting. Ahpra and the National Boards have developed principles for practitioners to consider when using or looking to integrate AI into their practice. These principles translate existing obligations in practitioner codes of conduct and remind practitioners to consider these responsibilities when assessing the appropriate use of AI.

Specific professional obligations to consider include accountability, an appropriate understanding of the tool, transparency of its use, informed consent, and ethical and legal issues. Read Meeting your professional obligations when using AI in healthcare and its supporting case studies on the Ahpra website to learn more about what safe and effective use of AI should look like.

Greater protection for the public under National Law changes

The recent series of amendments to the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law are now complete, with a final suite of changes being introduced from 1 July.

A key update for practitioners is that you can now nominate an alternative name to go on the register, alongside your legal name.

Some health practitioners may practise under an alternative name, such as a traditional name or an anglicised or shortened name. Having both your legal name and your alternative name appear on the public register will make it easier for the public to search the register and make informed decisions about their care.

You can find out more information about alternative names and how to nominate under Practitioner services on the Ahpra website.

Other changes to the National Law from 1 July include:

allowing National Boards and Ahpra to issue interim prohibition orders to unregistered persons in certain circumstances where the person poses a serious risk to others
establishing the process regarding renewal of a practitioner’s registration after a period of suspension
empowering the National Boards to include previously excluded information in the National Register if there is a reasonable belief the circumstances have changed
enabling the Ministerial Council to delegate its power to approve registration standards to an appropriate entity.

Australia’s health system, as well as the reasons and ways people access it, has changed dramatically over the 15 years. These reforms allow the regulation scheme to evolve with it, strengthening Ahpra and National Boards’ ability to protect the public and support practitioners.

More information about the changes, as well as future areas of focus and ways to provide feedback, can be found under Ministerial directives on Ahpra's website.

Improving experiences when navigating a healthcare complaint

The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (the Commission), Ahpra and the National Boards have worked on a joint project to explore opportunities to improve the consumer experience of making a healthcare complaint in Australia.

The Commission, Ahpra and the National Boards wanted to get a better understanding of the barriers that consumers face when making a healthcare complaint, and to discover what they can do to support consumers.

The final report has now been published along with supporting resources for practitioners and the public about navigating healthcare complaints. The project found that the complexity of the complaints system places a huge weight of responsibility on consumers to understand how it works. Consumers are also experiencing barriers, whether social, economic or cultural, that are affecting their ability to make a complaint and want a system that is focused on their needs rather than administrative processes.

What we’ve done

To improve experiences for those going through a complaint process, the Commission and Ahpra have:

updated our websites to clarify the process of making a complaint
developed three animations to give clear information to the public about how and where to make a health complaint
developed a ‘Tips for consumers when making a complaint’ webpage and fact sheet
developed Healthcare complaints - where to make a complaint (downloadable fact sheet), and
created a complaints checklist for practitioners to help effectively handle feedback and complaints from their patients or clients.

We will continue to make improvements to our websites and consumer resources. In some states and territories, work is being explored to develop a targeted local resource about complaints options.

Review to ease the complexity of health regulation

The Review of complexity in the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (the Dawson review) began in May 2024, and is led by the former NSW Health Care Complaints Commissioner Sue Dawson.

The independent review aims to identify areas of the National Scheme that are unnecessarily complex and recommend changes that will improve regulatory outcomes for health practitioners and the community.

Six terms of reference outline the scope of the review. These will consider:

how to streamline and harmonise decision-making to improve consistency in regulation
how to make complaints management more consumer-driven, consistent, accessible and efficient
how to make tribunal decision-making more consistent
stewardship of the National Scheme
how to manage new professions entering the National Scheme, and
the powers ministers have to direct entities exercising accreditation functions.

Consultation paper 1 was released on 12 September.

The review is expected to be completed by mid-2025.

National Prescribing Competencies Framework review

Ahpra has been contracted by the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care (the Department) to review the Prescribing Competencies Framework – Embedding quality use of medicines into practice, second edition (the framework).

The review aims to ensure the framework supports Quality Use of Medicines and that it:

remains fit for purpose, contemporary, efficient, accurate and reflects current and emerging trends in education and multiprofession practices, and
continues to describe competencies required to contribute to safe and person-centred prescribing.

The framework was originally developed and hosted by NPS MedicineWise. Published in April 2021, it describes the competencies and expectations for appropriate, safe and effective prescribing across relevant health professions.

Ahpra will be conducting targeted and public consultations in the next 12 months as part of the review. The final updated version of the framework will be submitted to the Department for approval before publication.

While the framework will be hosted on the Ahpra website, the Department will continue to own the document as part of the Quality Use of Diagnostics, Therapeutics and Pathology Program.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioner registration reaches exciting milestone

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioners registered with Ahpra hit 1,000 for the first time in September.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioners are a unique profession founded on traditional values, complemented by modern medicine. They are clinical and cultural experts who build trust, practise cultural safety and bring an understanding which strengthens health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

They work autonomously or as part of a multidisciplinary team, providing a broad range of expertise in both primary and tertiary healthcare, from administering and supplying medications, to acute and chronic disease management and advocating for patients.

Their aim is to empower First Nations families and communities to make them feel welcome, safe and comfortable when using health services and to make self-determined decisions about their health and wellbeing. The profession, while small in number, is critical to ‘closing the gap’ by removing disparities in healthcare.

Bardi and Jabirr Jabirr woman Ms Iris Raye is Chair of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practice Board of Australia (ATSIHPBA). ‘This milestone is an honour to our trailblazers whose shoulders we stand on, and to recognise our key stakeholders and allies who champion this profession’, she said.

Ahpra congratulates ATSIHPBA for ensuring practitioners are suitably trained, qualified and safe to practise, and for working collectively and collaboratively with the National Scheme and stakeholders to eliminate racism in healthcare.

Want more information?

Visit the Board’s website for fact sheets and FAQs that help answer common questions about paramedic registration, and professional standards, codes and guidelines.
For employers of paramedics, we have specific information to help you in the Fact sheet: Employer obligations under the National Law.
Lodge an online enquiry form.
For registration enquiries, call 1300 419 495 (from within Australia) or +61 3 9285 3010 (for overseas callers).
Address mail correspondence to: Professor Stephen Gough ASM, Chair, Paramedicine Board of Australia, GPO Box 9958, Melbourne, VIC 3001.