Role of advanced paramedics in primary care, prehospital and hospital settings

Paramedics have traditionally delivered care within the prehospital setting. However, owing to increased demands on healthcare services, there has been a requirement to develop the role into a sustainable resource to deliver safe patient-centred care across a range of settings. The advanced paramedic role can increase capacity within multidisciplinary teams and help to facilitate the redesign of services. Recent legislative changes have enabled advanced paramedics to independently prescribe controlled drugs. Advantages include enhanced patient experience and improved continuity of care. However, challenges remain such as access to patient records.