On September 1st 2014 legislation will come into effect in South Australia to protect the title of Paramedic. If you are an employer operating across boundaries or from interstate and coming into South Australia you must take steps to ensure you provide Paramedic staff who meet the minimum state requirements.
It will be an offence for any person to use the title of Paramedic in South Australia unless he or she holds a qualification prescribed by regulation or is exempted by the Minister for Health from this requirement.
Sitemed acknowledges this important step to protect public safety but feels the public and the profession will be better served by a National Registration Scheme. State schemes have limitations in terms of restricting improper people from practicing, they can simply move to another state, difficulties with working across borders as is common in mining operations e.g. Cooper Basin and creating equity between state and privately employed Paramedics.