Findings from mapping work and quantitative analysis
Employment model
Often working at a single site as member of an interdisciplinary ‘urgent care team’ with clear exclusions depending on skills and experience.
Often directly employed (may or may not be ARRS funded).
Qualifications
Paramedics may have limited or no additional qualifications (but may be planning on working towards them).
Not usually prescribers.
Named GP providing supervision.
Paramedics may have started working towards ACP or prescribing qualifications. In high integration sites, the GP practice often invests in upskilling the paramedic to address the needs of the practice. This means that paramedics may move from low complexity to medium or high complexity over the course of their emplyment
Remit
Paramedics in high integration sites, tend to carry out more remote consultations than those in medium and low integration sites. This may mean that they generate fewer prescriptions. However, paramedics working in low or medium complexity models are likely to initiate more tests and referrals than paramedics in high complexity models [possibly due to a caseload oriented towards new, acute ‘same day’ problems].