The Committees

Strategic and Business Advisory Committee (SBAC)

The SBAC meets twice each year. As a Standing Committee of the Council of Ambulance Authorities Inc., the SBAC provide a national focus and act as the key advisory group to the CAA on matters relating to the strategic direction and development of business, resourcing, planning, reporting and operational matters within the industry.

The annual collection and collation of data for the Report on Government Services is undertaken by the CAA secretariat on behalf of this Committee. The Committee has been and is responsible for the major reports and projects such as the reports – Factors in Ambulance Demand, Options for Funding and Forecasting (2007), Shift Hours in the Australian Ambulance Industry; An Issues Paper on Workforce Health and Safety, Patient and Public Safety (2007) and currently the Workforce Planning Project and the Strategic Statements document.

A key achievement for the SBAC was the development of the revised ambulance performance indicator framework for the Report on Government Services (RoGS) to allow reporting of additional indicators to provide a more accurate and transparent description of government services that allows jurisdictions to accurately identify areas for improvement. This framework has been adapted to align with the framework used in the health section of the report based on the National Health Performance Framework and for the first time was reported against in the 2009 RoGS.

The Workforce Planning group
This Group is coordinating a data collection to profile the ambulance workforce, developing a draft document to present the results the SBAC.

Occupational Health and Safety Group
The Trans-Tasman Ambulance Services are undertaking this program to benchmark the available date relating to Health and Safety issues for paid paramedics. The group has reviewed the current data and will collect annual data for discussion at a face to face meeting held once per year.

Ambulance Education Committee (AEC)

The AEC meets twice each year. The AEC as a Standing Committee of the Council of Ambulance Authorities Inc., provide a focal point on matters related to ambulance education programs and of professional practice by the industry and to consider education matters relevant to the provision of quality ambulance services and provide recommendations on specific matters when requested by the Board of the CAA.

The most significant project undertaken by this group is the progress of the Paramedic Education Programs Accreditation Project (PEPAP). Guidelines for Assessment & Accreditation of University Paramedic Programs were developed over 2005 and 2006. The Guidelines were circulated in 2007 and updated and recirculated in 2009.

The CAA established an Interim Paramedic Education Programs Accreditation Committee (I-PEPAC) to oversee the trial of the original guidelines. Following feedback from participating universities at the completion of the trial program, the Guidelines have been reviewed and updated in preparation for the commencement of a full accreditation program. Seven universities received provisional accreditation.

A PEPAP Accreditation Manager has been appointed and commenced in late 2009 to undertake the formal accreditation process. This is in the early stages with the first universities to undertake the full accreditation program commencing in 2010.

Paramedic Education Programs Accreditation Committee (PEPAC)
As a Committee of the CAA, PEPAC is responsible for the process for the assessment and accreditation of established university paramedic programs, major program changes, and newly developed programs, and provide recommendations to the Board of the CAA through the AEC. They provide expert advice to the CAA Board through the AEC on the recommended direction for the accreditation of Higher education and VET sector programs and make recommendations to the CAA Board through the AEC for improvements to the procedures and processes for the assessment and accreditation of university paramedic programs.

The AEC Working Group (AECWG)
The AECWG was formed to undertake detailed work on specific issues as directed by the AEC. They are currently developing Competency Standards that will link to the PEPAP Guidelines. These Standards will be validated by paramedics and university staff to provide the higher education authorities undertaking Paramedic Education to understand the expectation of ambulance services of the graduating paramedic. Other work will be undertaken by this Group on completion of the Standards.

Clinical Committee (CC)

The CC meets twice each year. The CC is a Standing Committee of the CAA and provide a forum for the Medical Directors and the Clinical Managers of member authorities (and such other specialists in pre-hospital emergency service as may be determined) to consider clinical matters relevant to the provision of quality ambulance services and provide recommendations on specific matters when requested by the Board of the CAA.

During the formal meetings the CC addresses key tasks in agreement with the Board and also provides a useful exchange of clinical information and mutual support for medical personnel and clinical managers.

The work plan includes the development of a quality assurance system for information exchange. Each of the meetings allows events to be discussed and lessons learnt. Other issues include the increasing development of Range of Treatment Statements where the collective information provides the Committee with an understanding of the differences in their treatment protocols and assists in providing evidence if changes are recommended in individual jurisdictions and Consensus Statements that provide an agreed opinion of the Committee members on specific clinical issues. These meetings provide an opportunity to share clinical research occurring within each jurisdiction and enables future collaboration to the benefit of all jurisdictions.

Other Working Groups

Emergency Management Committee (EMC)
The EMF meets twice each year. The activities of the EMF include the ongoing provision of advice to the CAA Board relating to issues affecting resource capacities and development, and national standards and technical advice.
The EMF has achieved some positive outcomes, particularly relating to mutual assistance and cross border issues. There has been an agreement that in future all ambulance services will use a standard triage system. This system went through a number of trials before agreement was reached. The EMF are also progressing national issues such as AusAID arrangements where a small national paramedic team responds to an event identified by AusAID. EMF members represent the CAA on a number of national committees which assist in ensuring the ambulance agenda is continually represented when emergency management issues are discussed at a national level including the recent inclusion on the Australian Health Protection Committee (AHPC).

Rural and Remote Group
The Rural and Remote Group provides a national focus and act as the key advisory group to the CAA on matters relating to the strategic direction and development of ambulance related services in rural and remote areas. There is a particular reference to models of service delivery and strategic issues that include delivery of volunteer ambulance services. The Rural and Remote Group meet by teleconference at various stages during the year to organise the annual Rural and Remote Symposium.
A Rural and Remote Symposium is held by the CAA each year with a combined meeting with the IRCP occurring every three years.
The 2009 rural and remote symposium was held in conjunction with the Fifth International Roundtable on Community Paramedicine where delegates from Australia, New Zealand, the USA, UK, Canada, Dubai and Israel gathered in New Zealand to share and promote ideas and information on the way forward for paramedicine in rural and remote areas and the role of Community Paramedicine in both rural and urban areas.

Representation

The CAA has representation on a number of national committees including the Australian Health Protection Committee, National Rural Health Alliance and other National Committees particularly in the areas of Emergency Management and Clinical areas. This representation ensures the ambulance industry is brought to the attention of Federal ministers and department heads. The CAA is also represented on the International Round Table of Community Paramedicine which is an international group that specifically discusses rural issues and expanded role initiatives.