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14 Sep 2020
The Paramedicine Accreditation Committee has released the first standards for accreditation of paramedicine education programs under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law, as in force in each state and territory (National Law).
The new accreditation standards come into effect on 1 June 2021 and outline the requirements that education providers must meet to ensure they are equipping graduates with the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to safely and competently practice as paramedics in Australia.
Paramedicine is a growing profession that plays an increasingly important role in Australia’s healthcare system.
’Demands on the paramedic workforce have never been greater than they are today, a demand that continues to grow and evolve. It’s crucial that all education providers understand and meet the new accreditation standards and ensure their programs deliver content that is relevant to the contemporary practice of paramedicine in Australia. These standards will ensure that graduating paramedic students enter the Australian healthcare profession as safe and competent practitioners’, said Emeritus Professor Eileen Willis, Chair of the Paramedicine Accreditation Committee.
The Accreditation Committee developed the standards as part of its initial work as the accreditation authority for paramedicine under the National Law. The Committee, led by deputy co-chair Associate Professor Bill Lord, consulted widely with practitioners, employers, professional associations, education providers and health consumer organisations during this work.
The Paramedicine Board of Australia approved the new accreditation standards, publishing them on 14 September 2020, well in advance of them coming into effect on 1 June 2021. This long lead time recognises the added pressures that education providers face due to the COVID-19 pandemic and ensures they have enough time to prepare before any accreditation assessments begin in 2021.
The Accreditation standards are available on the Accreditation Committee’s Accreditation page.