Victoria welcomes new paramedics

11 March 2011

Health Minister David Davis and Ambulance Victoria CEO Greg Sassella have welcomed 129 new paramedics at a graduation ceremony.

The deployment of the new paramedics will give the existing workforce an important boost so paramedics can continue to provide high quality pre-hospital care.

Minister Davis said all Victorians would benefit from a $151 million statewide plan, which would provide hundreds of new ambulance officers across regional and metropolitan Victoria, and give an urgently needed boost to Ambulance Victoria.

“I am working with Ambulance Victoria, local communities and paramedics to allocate new paramedics to areas of the state with the greatest need,” Mr Davis said.

“This will be the biggest single increase in additional staffing for the ambulance service in the state’s history.”

Ambulance Victoria CEO Greg Sassella congratulated the new graduates for completing their studies and welcomed them as qualified paramedics.

“After years of university study, these enthusiastic graduate paramedics now have the life-saving skills required to join our dedicated team,” Mr Sassella said.

Ambulance Victoria is a critical link in Victoria’s Health Care System. It provides pre-hospital care for patients experiencing medical emergencies, and medical transport by road and air to ensure both emergency and non-emergency patients access the appropriate level of health care. The overriding aim of the organisation is to improve the health outcomes of Victorians.

Further information

Further information is available from the Ambulance Victoria website.