Unregistered Health Practitioners - aka Event First Aid and other providers

[Numpty2012]

Looks like the providers delivering Paramedic, Event Medical and First Aid services who are not registered providers under the Health Care Act 2008 will fall into this new legislation, gazetted 14th March 2013.

"Unregistered Health Practitioners - Code of Practice".

http://www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/public+content/sa+health+internet/clinical+resources/safety+and+quality/governance+for+safety+and+quality+in+health+service+organisations/unregistered+health+practitioners+code+of+conduct

http://www.hcscc.sa.gov.au/documents//02_what's%20new/h_Plain%20English%20Version%20Code%20of%20Conduct.pdf

That's right ...  all of those first aid and event medical "PARAMEDICS" will have to display the code, have appropriate qualifications  (displayed) and also have Professional Indemnity / Public Liability Insurance covering exactly the scope of services they intend to provide.

SA Health finally tightening up.

Paramedic Registration only deals with part of the issue.  This expanded approach appears to be covering the gaps.

About time.

[misterteddy]

also interesting is the fact that SAAS are exempt from this.....wonder which wonder-child decided that

[straps]

Exempt from displaying the code, not exempt from compliance...

[kellyp]

My My,

Some-one is getting the message it appears.

If one does not have a licence under the health act (part 6) and and appropiate insurances they should not be attending to anyone.

Kelly

[sba]

Straps is right. SAAS Paras and AOs are considered unregistered health care workers until/if Registration occurs.

It covers all pre-hospital providers including commercial and not for profits

[Numpty2012]

Conflict of Interest you say 

One only needs to look at a few employees of a SA Health entity who operate a  business which appears to the average punter to be somewhat of an Ambulance type Service.

Will the new CEO of the aforementioned SA Health Entity be as tolerant of these potential conflicts of interest.

The SA Health policy on disclosing a conflict of interest 'and' the requirement of CEO's within SA Health to address and take appropriate steps to remove any possible conflicts of interest is clear.  Even "perceived conflicts of interest" fall into the policy and must be addressed/removed. 

Sba, an ICAC might be a bit much (I'm sure they have bigger issues on the list).

At best a good close look at the SA Health policy by the New CEO and an opinion from the Crown Solicitors Office wouldn't be a bad start just to make sure there isn't a problem that could arise down the track.

[RescueHazmat]

Been a while since I have perused these forums, however some posts are indicative of someone with an agenda.. The mind boggles Numpty..

[Numpty2012]

If an agenda is wanting to see Unregistered Health Providers finally regulated and compelled/required by law to comply with standards and operate transparently then I guess I have an agenda.

If wanting to see very obvious Conflicts of Interest dealt with in accordance with the policies and guidelines issued by SA Health then I guess I again have an agenda.  These issues have been bubbling away for some time and are already being widely discussed around a number of corridors (now even more so after the Victorian media exposing public safety issues and conflicts of interest).

If you find it boggling your mind then keep an eye on the Adelaide media and their uptake on the same issues and boggle away some more.

[sba]

Paramedics Australasia put out a media release today about the subject of the unregulated event first aid/medical industry (I'm guessing because of recent events).

http://www.paramedics.org.au/content/2013/04/Paramedics_MediaRelease-04APR2013.pdf

This media release refers to Paramedics Australasia's  developed set of paramedicine role descriptors to provide an introduction to the current clinical roles within Paramedicine in Australia and New Zealand.

[Numpty2012]

It is now up to Paramedics Australasia to keep the momentum up and push for immediate introduction of National Registration and to formulate and recommend proper guidelines for event medical minimum requirements.  Public Safety finally high up on the agenda. This ensures health departments and insurers take notice. The PA media release is a good start.

The coroners findings into the death in WA (SJA at Big Day Out), the debacle in Victoria now exposed and the sub-standard levels of event medical in all States by unregulated providers (now becoming a cottage industry) is the perfect storm to get the PA reforms across the line.

PA, lobby hard and use this current public exposé to get national paramedic registration and other reforms across the line.   Politicians and Health Dept are now paying attention to this issue. Keep the heat on.

SA only requires a bill amending the Health Care Act to extend to Event Medical and Standby Services.   I doubt the board members of PA South Australia will be pushing too hard on this issue though.