7. Question No. 7—HealthDr LIZ CRAIG (Labour) to the Minister of HealthQuestion No. 7—Health7. Dr LIZ CRAIG (Labour) to the Minister of Health: What steps if any have been taken to recognise and maintain the high professional standards of key front-line health workers? Hon Dr DAVID CLARK (Minister of Health): More good news. Yesterday I visited Wellington Free Ambulance's headquarters to announce the Government's decision to regulate paramedics under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003. Paramedic leaders have been pushing for this formal recognition of their status for years. I supported them as a Labour Opposition MP so I'm particularly pleased to now deliver on our pledge to make this happen. Paramedics are usually the first on the scene when we suffer a medical emergency and they do great work saving thousands of lives every year. By placing them under the same regulatory framework as doctors and nurses we are recognising the importance of their work. These long-overdue changes will ensure the high professional standards to which they currently work will be maintained and enhanced into the future. Dr Liz Craig: So who will pay for this and will there be any additional costs for paramedics such as registration? Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: I expect registration of paramedics to start occurring later next year. Regulating paramedics under the Act will cost about $1.4 million in the first year decreasing to $1.2 million in subsequent years. In the first year this cost is being met within baselines by the Ministry of Health ACC and service providers meaning the costs of annual practising certificates will not be carried by the workforce. This Government invests $203 million every year in road ambulance services including communications and that investment aligns with a four-year funding track agreed by the previous Government and welcomed by St John Ambulance. However the Government has chosen to make additional investment in these important services beyond that agreed funding track. In this year's Budget for example we committed $25 million over two years to relieve immediate pressures on St John Ambulance and Wellington Free Ambulance. We believe this was necessary to support these services while they work with the Ministry of Health and ACC on their long-term sustainability. This is on top of an extra $17.2 million over four years in increased operational funding as part of Budget 2019. Dr Liz Craig: So how does this step forward for our paramedic workforce fit with the Government's plan to ensure New Zealanders in need receive high-quality emergency medical care? Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: Our recognition of paramedics' role as front-line health professionals and the codifying of their responsibilities is important as we move toward double-crewing ambulances. Just over 1000 paramedics currently work for the two emergency ambulance providers: St John Ambulance and Wellington Free Ambulance. That workforce is expected to grow to 1400 by 2021 as double-crewing is standardised around the country. I have no doubt that double-crewing will mean better care in emergency situations. The move to strengthen our paramedic workforce comes not long after we acted to modernise our air ambulance fleet with an investment in twin-engine helicopters to ensure that people are safely treated on their way back to hospital. That was another investment from this Government in Budget 2018 of $83 million. We are reinvesting in our health workforce and in our assets to ensure that we have a modern fit for purpose health service that will mean New Zealanders get the care they expect and deserve.