PARAMEDICS, RESEARCHERS AND WORKFORCE ANALYSTS GATHER LANDMARK PARAMEDICINE WORKFORCE DATASET Inaugural report into Australasian Paramedicine Workforce Survey report to aid workforce planning
INTERVIEWS
Dr Liz Thyer, Associate Professor in Paramedicine
School of Health Sciences, Western Sydney University &
Chief Investigator Australasian Paramedicine Workforce Survey Report 2023-2024
Alecka Miles, Community Paramedic, Dianella Family Medical Centre (WA)
Lecturer Edith Cowan University &
PhD Student Western Sydney University
John Bruning, Chief Executive Officer
Australasian College of Paramedicine
SEGMENT
Filmed in Campbelltown (NSW), Perth & Sydney | December 2024
In a milestone for paramedicine, the Australasian College of Paramedicine earlier this year released the first report of a landmark three-year study identifying and exploring trends that affect the Australasian paramedicine workforce.
The inaugural Australasian Paramedicine Workforce Survey report 2023-24 explores the demographic, career trajectory, work motivations and conditions for those working in clinical, management and educational capacities within the paramedicine workforce of Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.
The survey findings reveal new insights into the current and future state of the paramedicine workforce across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand and provide governments and decision-makers with crucial knowledge and evidence to better inform workforce planning.
In 2022, the College commissioned Associate Professor Liz Thyer, from Western Sydney University (WSU), as Chief Investigator to lead a team of sixteen academics and researchers from WSU, Edith Cowan University (ECU) and Auckland University of Technology (AUT). Alecka Miles (ECU) and Dr Graham Howie (AUT) led the teams from their respective universities.
Australian Health Journal spoke with Associate Professor Liz Thyer, Alecka Miles and John Bruning, Chief Executive Officer for the Australasian College of Paramedicine about the survey and the inaugural report.
Assoc Prof Liz Thyer said: “Our team includes paramedics, researchers and workforce analysts enabling us to develop a survey that gets to the core of the paramedic profession. These insights can then be used to make a better, well-supported workforce for current paramedics and those studying to enter the profession.”
The data contained in this report will assist the College, and the broader paramedicine healthcare sector, in workforce planning. As health reform across Australasia looks to more broadly engage paramedics in multidisciplinary team-based models, the survey findings aim to support all employers of paramedics in better understanding the needs of their workforce, ultimately enhancing the quality of care provided to communities across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.
Also captured in this segment from the College’s ACPIC conference in Sydney in September 2024 include Lucy Oatley ASM (Conference Master of Ceremonies), Intensive Care Flight Paramedic and Jemma Altmeier, Advocacy and Government Relations Manager, Australasian College of Paramedicine.
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HIGHLIGHTS The power of social determinants of health, panel discussion
Clinicians and consumers know only too well that life circumstances such as poor housing, income and food insecurity can have a negative impact on health outcomes. Conversely, participation in community activities, social connection and access to nature parks and leisure facilities can help maintain health and wellbeing.
More recent phenomena in public health have also focused us on the health and social care connection. Stress factors such as the sudden loss of employment and social interaction, moving to remote work or schooling, and the impacts of sudden, localised COVID-19 ‘lockdowns’ to prevent further outbreaks were triggers of increased psychological distress.
And loneliness is being described as our latest epidemic with chronic loneliness inked to a myriad of health problems and earlier death. A recent report found one in four Australians say they feel persistently lonely, and that loneliness costs $2.7 bn a year in health costs alone.
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Pathology technology at a crossroads
The CEO of Pathology Technology Australia, Dean Whiting spoke with Australian Health Journal about the following:
– Pathology Technology Australia’s key priorities in the coming years
– Current local capability in pathology technology compared to other countries
– How the health system supports change and adoption of pathology technology
– How pathology is perceived by the public and in government as well as how developments in pathology technology are followed and understood
– Observations in the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce ReportIn the lead up to the Australian Federal Budget in May 2023, Australian Health Journal reached out to peak health industry bodies to hear about their priorities, either noted in pre-budget submissions lodged with Federal Government in January 2023 or in recent forums such as the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce.
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Nurse recognised for reducing hospital waste
A nurse who started a charity from a granny flat in her parent’s backyard to reduce hospital waste has taken out one of the Australian nursing profession’s most prestigious honours.
