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Dear Colleagues

Licensing of NEPT sector and First Aid providers in Victoria

Legislation on the licencing of the Non-Emergency Patient Transport (NEPT) and first aid sector was tabled at the Victorian Parliament on 17 March 2021 through the introduction of the NEPT Amendment Bill 2021.

The purpose of the Bill is to update and modernise the NEPT Act 2003 by making patient safety and quality of care a central tenet of the legislation, strengthening compliance and enforcement of the existing licensing system for providers of non-emergency patient transport (NEPT) services, and introducing licensing and regulation of the commercial first aid sector.

It does so primarily by:

• introducing a general duty of safety to require the provision of safe patient services and appropriate quality of care at all times;
• establishing licensing and regulatory requirements for the commercial first aid sector;
• strengthening requirements for provision of information by licence holders to the Secretary; and
• expanding the mechanisms available to the Secretary to request information from licence holders and respond to concerns, including by issuing directions to licence holders.

The Bill will be supported by an amended NEPT Regulations and new First Aid Regulations, both of which are currently being drafted. It is anticipated that the draft Regulations will be released for public comment in late May 2021 along with a Regulatory Impact Statement for the amendments to the NEPT Regulations.

Following receipt of submissions, both sets of Regulations will be finalised for commencement on 1 September 2021. Prior to this, the Department will conduct public information sessions to explain the new requirements and discuss what additional guidance the sector will require to ensure understanding of and compliance with the regulations.

For the First Aid sector there will be a 12-month transition period to meet the requirements for licencing, so all commercial first aid providers will require a licence by 1 September 2022.

For further information, please see click on the links below:

• NEPT Amendment Bill 2021
• Explanatory Memorandum
• Statement of Compatibility
• Parliament Second reading speech

Please visit the website and download the discussion paper for further background.
 
For additional information and updates related to this, please contact:

Victor Di Paola
Manager Legislation Reform
Private Hospitals & NEPT Regulation
Department of Health
03 9456 4572
victor.dipaola@health.vic.gov.au

Use of the Paramedic Workforce for COVID-19 Vaccine administration

Paramedics have an important role as part of the COVID-19 vaccine administration workforce.
Paramedics, especially paramedics who are not currently working for Ambulance Victoria, are actively encouraged to consider joining the vaccination workforce. There are a wide variety of opportunities for short and longer-term employment at vaccination sites across Victoria.

Below is a list of frequently asked questions about how to get involved:

Who can apply for a position delivering the COVID-19 vaccination program?

Any registered paramedic may apply and will be temporarily authorised to administer vaccines under the general supervision and support of experienced immunisers.

How do I apply for a position delivering the COVID-19 vaccination program?

You will need to apply directly to Torrens Health, who are operating on behalf of the Victorian Government. Further information on the Department of Health website.

What are the additional training requirements?

Registered paramedics under the emergency authorised workforce must complete the following in order as listed below:

1.    Victorian COVID-19 e-Learning Competency

•    Online eLearning (three modules) (includes videos on multidose vials)
•    Local or Victorian practical new immuniser simulation

2.    National COVID-19 Vaccination Training Program

•    Six core modules
•    Additional modules specific to individual vaccines

3.    Emergency authorised workforce (vaccine administrators) are to complete a clinical skills and competency assessment which includes a minimum of five supervised vaccination procedures.

Can I work at one hospital or vaccination facility and also help administer the vaccination at another?

Yes, however, the Victorian COVID-19 Vaccination Guidelines recommends limiting mobility between wards and between hospitals for staff working in COVID wards

Except where otherwise indicated, the images in this publication show models and illustrative settings only, and do not necessarily depict actual services, facilities or recipients of services. This publication may contain images of deceased Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Authorised and published by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne.

© State of Victoria, Safer Care Victoria, March 2021 If you would like to receive this publication in an accessible format, please email communications@safercare.vic.gov.au Safer Care Victoria 50 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000 www.safercare.vic.gov.au