MEMBER for Mildura Ali Cupper has this month provided a submission to the future of Urgent Care Centres in rural Victoria survey, calling for government to enhance the roles of paramedics and nurse practitioners in rural service settings.
The survey is being conducted by the Victorian Department of Health to develop a state-wide framework for the delivery of urgent care in rural and regional settings.
“My electorate covers the most remote parts of Victoria and there are a number of small health services that do an outstanding job caring for their communities,” Ms Cupper said.
“Their success relies on having access to appropriately skilled staff, and that’s where the Government comes in.”
In her submission, Ms Cupper reiterated the need for the APRIP (Advancing Paramedic Roles Implementation Pilot) program to be extended beyond June 30, to continue addressing the emergency care demands of the Ouyen community.
“The APRIP program is using highly skilled paramedics to address health care gaps in regional communities,” she said.
“In Ouyen this has meant helping staff on the ground to make clinical decisions, visiting patients in their home to provide follow-up care, assisting with pathology testing, wound care, allergy management and falls prevention.
“It’s vital the program is extended in Ouyen, and I’ve also called upon the State Government to expand the project to other local towns with primary care services, including Robinvale, Woomelang, Hopetoun, Wycheproof and Birchip.”
Ms Cupper has also called for increased Government support to expand and implement nurse practitioner roles in Victoria’s small rural health services.
“Nurse practitioners are highly skilled in their chosen field and are able to requests diagnostic tests and prescribe medications,” she said.
“Funding nurse practitioner roles in rural communities will allow primary care services to be even more robust in managing emergencies, and in preventing the onset of disease to keep the community well and out of hospital.
“We have to be innovative so that our small rural health services can continue to care for their communities, especially in rural locations where people cannot readily access GP services.”
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