About QAS
Our History
Ambulance services in Queensland began in 1892. On September 12 of that year the first meeting of the City Ambulance Transport Brigade was held.
Military medic Seymour Warrian formed the brigade following an event he witnessed at the Brisbane showgrounds during Show Week in 1892.
A horse rider fell and broke his leg and bystanders walked the rider from the field, seriously worsening his injury.
The first ambulance station in Queensland operated out of the Brisbane Newspaper Company and officers on night duty slept on rolls of newspaper on the floor. They had a stretcher, but no vehicle and transported patients on foot.
Organisation
The service as we know it today was formed on July 1, 1991 when 96 individual Queensland Ambulance Service Transport Brigades (QATB) amalgamated into one organisation. Queensland Ambulance Service.
The result is an ambulance service that is the fourth largest in the world.
Queensland Ambulance Service leads the country in clinical care and paramedic training and is among the best in the world in providing state-of-the-art emergency care.
Together with the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service , Emergency Management Queensland and Queensland Corrective Services, the Queensland Ambulance Service is a part of the Department of Community Safety.
Service Delivery
The Queensland Ambulance Service delivers services to the public from more than 280 ambulance response locations across the State which are organised into seven regions, and are supported by a Central office located at the Kedron Park Emergency Services Facility in Brisbane, Australia.
QAS non-urgent ambulance transport
The QAS provides non-urgent ambulance transport for patients where a doctor/medical officer has approved such transport.
To qualify for QAS non-urgent ambulance transport, the patient is required to meet the QAS transport criteria, for example, there must be a clinical necessity/medical reason for the QAS transport to be undertaken.
The doctor/medical officer must complete a QAS Medical Authorisation Transport Request form and forward it to the QAS. The QAS requires a minimum of 48 hours notice prior to the requested transport date to ensure resources are available to undertake the transport.
In the event that there is a requirement for a relative to escort a patient within a QAS vehicle, approval must be granted by the doctor/medical officer providing a clinical reason for the necessity of the escort to accompany the patient in the QAS vehicle.
Our People
Our people are the driving force behind the success of the Queensland Ambulance Service. This includes our permanent staff, the volunteers on our Local Ambulance Committees and around 360 Honorary Ambulance Officers.
We are proud of our achievements and continue to encourage best practice both out in the field and in office workplaces.
Education and Training
All QAS training and development is coordinated and managed by the Queensland Combined Emergency Services Academy (QCESA) School of Ambulance and Paramedic Studies. The school is located in the Department of Community Safety offices at Lutwyche Centro Shopping Centre in Brisbane, Queensland. QCESA provides excellence in clinical education and development programs.
All education programs adopt nationally recognised competency standards and are comprised of the most up to date training content in Australia and the South East Asian region.
Community Ambulance Cover
Community Ambulance Cover (CAC) replaced the Queensland Ambulance Subscription Scheme and ambulance transport charges on the 1st of July 2003. Quite simply CAC means all Queensland residents are automatically covered for the cost of ambulance transportation anywhere, anytime, across Australia.
Community Education
QAS has been providing first aid training to Queenslanders for over 100 years. This includes Courses in First Aid and Injury Prevention and sales of first aid kits, resuscitation masks and other items.
QAS co-ordinates a Baby Capsule Hire service for the community, and ambulance staff are fully trained to fit capsules so that babies are safe and comfortable.
Aeromedical
QAS coordinates the delivery of aeromedical cases throughout Queensland. Service providers include the Royal Flying Doctor Service, DCS fixed wing and helicopter services, community based rescue helicopter services and QAS fixed wing aircraft.
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