| Queensland Ambulance Service | |
|---|---|
| Agency overview | |
| Formed | 1 July 1991 |
| Jurisdiction | Government of Queensland |
| Employees | 2700+ |
| Agency executive | Mr Russell Bowles, Commissioner |
| Parent agency | Department of Community Safety |
| Website | |
| www.ambulance.qld.gov.au | |
The Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) is the chief provider of out-of-hospital emergency care and ambulance transport in the state of Queensland, Australia. It falls under the control of the Queensland government's Department of Community Safety, and is the fourth-largest ambulance service in the world.[1]
The service provides a high level of emergency care and transport services to over 4.1 million people in Queensland, covering an area of 1.77 million square kilometres. They provide such services as emergency response, pre-hospital patient care, specialised transport services, coordination of aero-medical services and inter-hospital transfers.[2]
Approximately 2,780 paramedics are employed by QAS, who deliver their services from over 260 response locations across the state.[2] In 2005/06, the service handled 746,275 cases, of which 536,227 were emergency cases and 210,048 were non-emergency cases. In the same period, QAS trained 63,092 first aiders.[1]
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Ambulance services in Queensland first began in 1892, and the City Ambulance Transport Brigade held its first meeting on September 12 of that year. Queensland's first ambulance station operated out of the Brisbane Newspaper Company; the first officers possessed a stretcher, but no vehicle, and so transported patients on foot.[3] The Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) as currently known was formed on July 1, 1991 from the amalgamation of 96 individual Queensland Ambulance Service Transport Brigades (QATB). QAS operated under the banner of the Department of Emergency Services however in 2009, the Queensland Government restructured the organisational hierarchy and appointed new Ministers. Today it is a part of the Queensland Government's Department of Community Safety, along with the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service, Emergency Management Queensland and Department of Corrective Services.[3]
The QAS Medical Director is responsible to the Commissioner for the overall Clinical Governance of the Service and specifically for ensuring that patient care services provided by officers of the Queensland Ambulance Service are delivered at a consistently high standard. The Medical Director is also responsible for QAS Policy on Staff Health and Wellbeing and setting medical priorities for ambulance resource dispatch.
Ambulance operations of the Queensland Ambulance Service are performed by its operational staff. QAS operational staff include Student Paramedics, Advanced Care Paramedics (ACPs), Intensive Care Paramedics (ICPs), Patient Transport Officers (PTOs) and Emergency Medical Dispatchers (EMDs).[1]
Advanced Care Paramedics possess either a Diploma of Paramedical Science (Ambulance) or a Bachelor of Health Science (Paramedic) or equivalent qualifications.[4] In addition to this, an Intensive Care Paramedic possesses a Graduate Diploma in Intensive Care Paramedic Practice or equivalent.[5] ACPs and ICPs attend medical, surgical and trauma emergencies. Patient Transport Officers possess a Certificate III in Non-Emergency Patient Transport or equivalent, and provide non-emergency patient transport services.[6] Emergency Medical Dispatchers have completed a Certificate III in Ambulance Communications (Call Taking) and a Certificate IV in Ambulance Communications (Dispatch) or equivalent. EMDs receive emergency calls and direct ambulance services to the emergency, and advise callers in performing first aid until the ambulance arrives on scene.[7] In Brisbane, ambulances (and the QFRS) are dispatched from AFCOM.
ACPs are competent in many emergency medical skills, including airway management (oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal airway, oropharyngeal suctioning, laryngoscopy and Magill's forceps, laryngeal mask airway, intermittent positive pressure ventilation), cardiac management (cardiac monitoring - basic ECG interpretation and 12-lead ECG, manual defibrillation), drug/fluid administration (intramuscular injection, intravenous cannulation, fluid replacement), and the administration of basic and advanced drugs (aspirin, glucose, glyceryl trinitrate, adrenaline, morphine etc.).[4][8]
Intensive Care Paramedics typically respond when their level of clinical practice is required. In some areas, they will respond as a single officer. These ambulances are not equipped to transport patients, but contain much of the same equipment as a regular ambulance, as well as advanced equipment. ICPs are competent in all ACP procedures, as well as advanced emergency medical skills, such as endotracheal intubation, synchronised cardioversion, transcutaneous cardiac pacing, decompression of tension pneumothorax, extra-jugular venous cannulation, procedural sedation (midazolam, ketamine etc), pre-hospital thrombolysis (tenecteplase), intraosseous access, as well as the administration of advanced drugs (atropine, heparin, ketamine etc.).[5][8]
QAS is in the process of upgrading its fleet of vehicles in metropolitan areas to Mercedes Sprinters with the new livery, which is intended to allow for a uniform vehicle across Australia. However, in some areas, use of such vehicles is limited, thus other vehicles(for example 4WDs, troopies or converted Commodores) are used. These vehicles (Mercedes Sprinters) are used by both Advanced Care Paramedics (ACPs) and Patient Transport Officers. The acute vehicles carry one (1) stretcher and the patient transport vehicles carry two (2).
Intensive Care Paramedics (ICPs) often drive 'interceptor pods' (commonly station wagons, or in some areas, dual-cab utes). These vehicles cannot carry patients, however they carry much of the same equipment as the Sprinters, and are able to get to scenes relatively quickly.
Previously, the QAS used Ford 'F-Trucks' (Ford F-250 and F-350). These are still in use in rural areas, however are not common in the Metropolitan areas.
Since 2003, the service has been funded by the Community Ambulance Cover scheme, a levy added to all customers of electricity retailers in Queensland. In 2009, the amount payable was a flat fee just above $100 annually. This amount and collection method is designed to provide a reliable flow of income to the service.[9]
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