WHAT EXACTLY IS A PARAMEDIC, AND HOW DO THEY DIFFER FROM “MEDICS” AND FIRST AIDERS?

Paramedics in Australia are not permitted to practice independently or to carry or use prescribed medications. They must be employed by and working for a state ambulance service or a private paramedic organisation in order to provide clinical advice, treatment, medication or therapeutic intervention to any person.

In order to operate in NSW, private paramedic organisations must have approvals and licences issued by NSW Health under the Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 1996 and Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulations 2008.

These elements are under the supervision of the NSW Health Department and its Private Health Care Unit, Legal and Regulatory Services Branch.

To company with the Act, Immediate Assistants Events has the following (current):

1. Licence to supply by wholesale poisons and/or restricted substance for therapeutic use
2. Licence to supply by wholesale drugs of addiction
3. Authority for Employees of the Company to Administer Scheduled Medicines
4. Statutory Deceleration by each Director and Office Holder of the company
5. Fitness and Probity Check of each Director and Office Holder of the company
6. National Criminal Record Check (NCRC) in the form of a National Police Certificate (NPC) of each Director and Office Holder of the company