News
20th August, 2021
Safer Care Victoria Review of Air Ambulance Victoria
Victorian MICA Flight Paramedics are the highest trained paramedics in Australia and among the highest trained in the world. Our Air Ambulance model is the envy of the world. Safer Care Victoria (SCV) was requested by Ambulance Victoria (AV) to investigate the quality and safety of the AV aeromedical system particularly for the care provided to patients under the long-established current crewing model.
The SCV review team were not able to find any evidence of safety or skill gap, or incidents of less-than-optimal clinical care.
To the contrary, the skills and procedures investigated were to a world class standard as evidenced in the clinical reviews and research of the past 30 years. Despite this SCV recommended changes to the staffing, skill sets, method of operation and day to day procedures of Air Ambulance Victoria (AAV). The VAU is aware that one of the options being considered is the placement of doctors on the AAV helicopters. Our members at AAV have raised concerns about proposed changes to the crewing model at AAV.
In order to better understand and respond to the SCV report, the VAU commissioned an expert report by Philip Hogan, a renowned expert in air ambulance operations in Australia. This report (see above) identified that the suggestion to include doctors on the aircraft as part of the crew is not based on any identified patient need or skill gap. The VAU have provided this report to AV and the Victorian Government (see attached letter downloadable from above).
The VAU is firmly of the view that there would be enormous value provided by Adult Retrieval Victoria doctors through referral services, telehealth and providing infield support to paramedics on road to avoid unnecessary transports to hospital. Such initiatives would greatly improve options other than transport and reduce significant strain on ambulance resourcing and emergency departments. The VAU does not see any value in placing ARV doctors on our helicopters in a primary response capacity.
The VAU will be meeting with our MICA Flight Paramedic members on Monday 23 August 2021 at 8pm via Zoom to discuss the above matters.
In Solidarity,