Released 24/10/2017 - Joint media release
The Government has today tabled legislative reforms that will see a national registration scheme for paramedics adopted in the ACT through the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and other Legislation Amendment Act 2017.
In tabling the reforms the Minister for Health and Wellbeing Meegan Fitzharris, said the legislative amendments are about ensuring the ACT is upholding a national consistent approach to health professional regulation.
“The reforms I have tabled in the Assembly today, will see the ACT adopt the reforms that have been made to the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law,” Minister Fitzharris said.
“As part of this, the most significant reform is the national registration and regulation of paramedics, which not only recognises the increasing responsibilities of paramedics but also provides extra protections for patients to continue to receive the best possible care.
“The national registration of paramedics will ensure they receive appropriate professional recognition for the important work that they do in the community.
“The reforms also provide extra protections to the community by preventing people who are not qualified, registered or fit to practice from using the title ‘paramedic’, and powers to deal with professional misconduct by paramedics where required.
“As Minister for Health and Wellbeing, I was pleased to join other Australian health ministers earlier this year (May 2017) to agree to the proposed changes to the national law, which now apply here in the ACT.”
Minister for Police and Emergency Services Mick Gentleman said the legislative reforms acknowledged the important role paramedics have on the frontline of health care.
“Paramedics play a vital role as first responders to patients and as part of this are required carry out high-level medical treatments and procedures, such as sedating patients, providing pain relief and administering specialised drugs to treat heart attack,” Minister Gentleman said.
“This national registration scheme provides the professional recognition our paramedics deserve for the health care they provide to Canberrans, and it is welcomed.”
The amendments to the national law, which will also be adopted through the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and other Legislation Amendment Act 2017, recognise nursing and midwifery as two separate professions, rather than a single profession, with both professions continuing to be regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia.
Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) has set up a dedicated web page to keep paramedics informed: https://www.ahpra.gov.au/Registration/Regulation-of-paramedics.aspx
The Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (ACT) has now been republished to align with the national law and is available on the ACT legislation register at: http://www.legislation.act.gov.au/a/db_39269/
- Statement ends -
Meegan Fitzharris, MLA | Mick Gentleman, MLA | Media Releases
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