Criticism of the quality of paramedic training

In addition, district offices would refuse employees further training from paramedics to paramedics. The Red Cross contradicted the allegations on Wednesday.

Europe brings up the rear when it comes to training

Specifically, in many ambulances, for example, so-called EpiPens, an emergency medication for allergy sufferers, are missing. Only a fraction of Red Cross vehicles would carry such a pen. In terms of training, emergency physician Gerhard Prause said to ORF Styria: “We are the absolute bottom of Europe. In all EU countries there is training lasting several years, some with an academic degree. In Austria we still have paramedic training, where the standard Paramedics with 260 hours go out even to the most difficult emergency.”

All requirements met

The Red Cross defended itself against the allegations on Wednesday: All the requirements required by law and by the state were met and they were also working continuously on the further development of the emergency paramedic, it said in a statement. The Styrian state rescue commander Peter Hansak also called for the training to change as a result of the new paramedic law: “Emergency paramedic training is currently fragmented.” In addition to an emergency paramedic, three differently trained paramedics, each with different emergency skills, are currently on duty. “Our demand is that this training is combined into a complete training so that at the end of the day there is only one single, fully trained emergency paramedic. In Styria we are already anticipating this and have been actively training all emergency paramedics since the beginning of the year Emergency skills for emergency paramedics with emergency skills in venous access and infusion as well as emergency skills in pharmacology,” said Hansak in a statement to the APA.

NEOS member of parliament Robert Reif called for a “large-scale training initiative for emergency paramedics. At federal level, the reform of the outdated paramedic law must finally be speeded up. Our proposals in the National Council are constantly being postponed.”

SPÖ member of parliament Mario Lindner took the same horn: “It is high time that we finally tackled the structural crisis in the rescue service. Of course, we urgently need a nationwide offensive for a strong paramedic and rescue service – but we can also do it in Styria take important steps now.” Specifically, the EpiPen should be carried in all emergency vehicles and further: “In Tyrol it has long been standard that an emergency paramedic is present in every rescue vehicle.” It is incomprehensible why this is still being blocked in Styria, says Lindner, who is also the deputy district manager of the Red Cross in Liezen.

When asked by the APA, the Ministry of Health said that there was regular exchange with the professional association for rescue services and rescue organizations. The ministry is aiming for a professional evaluation of the training and skills of paramedics and paramedics, which is to be completed in the course of this year. The process for this is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2023.

In the previous year there had been repeated criticism of the Styrian rescue service after emergencies resulting in death became known. Measures were taken by the state of Styria, including better fees for emergency doctors. An external panel of experts examined the deaths reported in the media and concluded that there was no correlation between the arrival of the ambulance and the outcome for the patient’s prognosis.