Paramedics: A Missing Workforce in Australia's Mental Health System

This commentary proposes that paramedicine be repositioned within the national mental health workforce agenda to strengthen mental health service delivery, particularly in rural areas.

Australia is experiencing a growing mental health crisis that is converging with a mental health workforce shortage, particularly in rural areas. While traditionally aligned with physical health emergencies, the paramedic role has expanded, with mental health crises now comprising a significant component of frontline practice. Despite Australia's mental health workforce being multidisciplinary, the capabilities and contribution of paramedicine to the mental health workforce are not recognised within the National Mental Health Workforce Strategy 2022-2032. The evolving role of paramedics highlights the need to strengthen mental health education, training and practice within the profession, enabling paramedics to contribute their distinctive capabilities to mental health care and enhance the capacity of the broader workforce. Furthermore, paramedicine graduate numbers now exceed available ambulance roles, creating a clinically skilled workforce that could be utilised through alternative models of care, particularly in mental health.

This commentary draws on current evidence to highlight the evolving role of paramedics in mental health care and opportunities to integrate mental health competencies into paramedic education and training.

Mental health competencies can be integrated into paramedic education to strengthen paramedics' capability to manage mental health presentations. Recognising paramedicine within the National Mental Health Workforce Strategy would enhance mental health system capacity, improve rural access to mental health care and provide meaningful employment pathways for new paramedicine graduates.