Plans for additional paid paramedics to be employed in regional areas of the State have been announced by WA Health.
The extra paramedics are being funded in a modernised contract with St John WA which came into effect on 1 January, boosting the number of paid paramedics in the bush by almost 31 full-time equivalent employees.
Additional paramedics have already been installed in Geraldton, with Busselton, Narrogin, Northam, Newman and East Bunbury to benefit over the coming months.
Esperance and Margaret River Sub Centres will also each be home to career paramedics for the first time, as well as Harvey.
Additionally, a new dedicated ‘flying squad’ roster of paramedics has been funded under the contract to provide relief for paid paramedics in the community.
This is on top of 34 extra paramedics for the metropolitan area.
Minister for Health, Amber-Jade Sanderson said WA Health had collaborated with St John WA and the WA Country Health Service to identify communities that required additional support.
“This will represent a 25 per cent increase in the number of paid paramedics in the regions since we began contract negotiations with St John WA last year,” Ms Sanderson said.
“It builds on existing paramedic capability in Country WA — including the highly-valued network of volunteers who do an extraordinary job.”
