Paramedics shortage 'will get worse'

A move to confine the training of paramedics to universities could lead to a serious drop in their number.

A new regulation, instigated by the Health Professionals' Council of SA, was signed into effect on Friday by Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi.

It revokes recognition of the six-week basic life support, six-month intermediate life support and nine-month advanced life support courses for paramedics, and on-the-job experience.

A basic life support paramedic now has to complete a two-year course, and those wanting to become advanced life support paramedics must do a four-year degree.

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It is said that the new regulations will make it hard for those who cannot afford full-time university study to become paramedics.

An insider said the changes were made to bring paramedics' training in line with national qualifications and end short courses that are said to have become a cash-cow for some colleges, which allegedly churn out thousands of graduates with questionable skills.

ILS Medic Max Cohen said the change was for the better.

Others said that limited university capacity would reduce the number of paramedics qualifying.

Many paramedics said the new training curriculum was too theoretical and prevented experienced men and women from furthering their studies, especially those wanting to become advanced life support paramedics.

Oliver Wright, CEO of SA the Private Ambulance Emergency Services Association, said the decision to end vocational training "essentially set South Africa up for a catastrophic failure in human resources in emergency medical services".

There were too few advanced life support paramedics, and only a few universities could offer full-time paramedic training, he said.

"With the short courses coming to an end, we have fewer graduates [entering] the emergency medical services."

Wright said South Africa was lagging international benchmarks in paramedic numbers.

One paramedic said the shift to university training had led to a drop in paramedics' skills and too few experienced graduates entering the occupation.

The new regulations bar those with basic and intermediate qualifications from advanced training unless they study at a university for three years.

The paramedic said: "This means people with years of invaluable experience are blocked from progressing."