By Oliver Lees
A first of its kind health service is launching in the Macedon Ranges to take pressure off the state’s emergency services.
Based in Riddells Creek, HMS Collective is expanding its services as a provider of aged care, disability support and in-home help to form Australia’s first private community paramedic service.
The volunteer organisation has recently recruited 10 experienced and qualified paramedics on a casual basis.
The role of the CP is to reduce the need for emergency calls by providing preventative health measures and intervening before the health issue would potentially become an emergency.
The concept has already been trialled in the UK and Canada but is yet to take off in Australia.
Unlike regular paramedics, HMS Collective’s fleet of community paramedics will be expected to use their own vehicles and equipment, giving mental and physical health assistance and attending in-home meetings with clients.
HMS Collective’s Ranee Wilkinson said the Macedon Ranges was the perfect place to launch this unique program.
“A lot of people within the industry see the gap in health services and want to be involved in finding a solution,” she said.
“Often the Macedon Ranges can fall between the cracks of health services given its location, and this is where a lot of our organisers are based.
“We want to try to employ local people to help local people.”
One of those people is Jacqui Wilkinson, a paramedic with four years experience who has signed on to work casually as a community paramedic on top of her fulltime job.
“This is something exciting and new, it’s all about supporting people in regional areas,” she said.
“I’m really passionate about this because I know there are people that don’t necessarily need to go to an emergency room, but still need support and have no other option.”
Recent data released by Ambulance Victoria highlighted the overstretched nature of the state’s health services, finding that one in five patients requesting high level emergency response did not receive an ambulance on time.
Given the positive response from the local community and healthcare workers across the state, Ranee says she is eager to see this program evolve.
“This is definitely an idea that can expand, our goal is to have it one day be a national operation.”
For more information contact Ranee on: 1300 549 249.
