A WORLD class paramedic teaching facility will attract more students to regional areas a spokesman for Ambulance Service of NSW says.
The claim comes in support of Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) application for federal funding to expand the number of health courses offered in Orange and create a state-of-the-art paramedic facility in Bathurst.
Ambulance Service of NSW education manager Alan Morrison said up to half of all paramedics work outside metropolitan areas and CSU’s plans to expand will assist in training paramedics for regional areas.
“From our perspective it’s all about CSU trying to provide a quality program for paramedics,” he said.
Mr Morrison said creating a paramedic facility in Bathurst will benefit the region as students won’t “feel like they need come go to Sydney for training”.
Mr Morrison said the provision of care to communities in regional and remote NSW is of vital importance to the Ambulance Service of NSW.
CSU and the Ambulance service have shared a training relationship for para-medicine since 1992 Mr Morrison said and this will further help to strengthen ties.
“It has the potential to attract more students to regional areas,” he said.
CSU has applied for funding under the education investment fund (EIF) for $63.6 million to address current and future health workforce shortages in rural areas.
The government is expected to announced EIF funding in the May budget.
nadine.morton@ruralpress.com