The Palaszczuk Government will implement a $1.35 million public awareness campaign aimed at minimising violence against paramedics following the interim report of the Paramedic Safety Taskforce set up by Queensland Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Cameron Dick to address the issue. Mr. Dick received the interim report on the taskforce late on Friday, after he had asked taskforce members to give an interim report as a matter of urgency, ahead of a full report due in April.
“We need to get the message out that serious assaults on paramedics will not be tolerated, and are subject to significant legal penalties,” Mr. Dick commented “A public awareness campaign isn’t the whole answer, but it’s certainly part of it.”
Mr. Dick said the Government is progressing key recommendations to provide additional training to paramedics in situational awareness and deescalation skills, as well as a mass media public awareness campaign. Mr. Dick went on to explain that there were 170 deliberate physical attacks and 56 verbal assaults on ambulance officers in the 2014-15 financial year. This is up from the 160 physical assaults and 33 verbal assaults on ambulance officers in 2013-14 financial year.
“Over time we’ve seen significant changes in behaviour around issues like wearing seat belts, smoking and immunisation. People changed their behaviour because governments brought in legislation, increased penalties and changed workplace practices.” Mr. Dick commented “But much of the impetus for change came from the community, and a significant part of that was down to increased public awareness campaigns.”