DIARY OF A PARAMEDIC IN A PRIMARY HEALTH CARE CLINIC Examining the attributes and practices of paramedics working in primary health care contexts
With
Alecka Miles, Lecturer
Edith Cowan University, Western Australia &
Community Paramedic,
Dianella Family Medical Centre, Western Australia
PEOPLE IN HEALTH CARE SEGMENT
Filmed in Perth, Western Australia | October 2025
Alecka Miles is a lecturer at Edith Cowan University and works as a paramedic in a multidisciplinary team at Dianella Family Medical Centre in Metropolitan Perth, Western Australia.
Community paramedic roles have a history in Australia, dating back to 2007 in New South Wales and followed by similar initiatives in South Australia and New Zealand. Alecka’s position emerged after she sought to evaluate how paramedics could integrate into general practice, ultimately leading to a job offer post-COVID lockdown in 2020. Her skills, particularly in cannulation, proved valuable as healthcare shifted towards primary care.
In her role, Alecka conducts community health assessments, providing insights from her paramedic background. She notes a significant learning curve, having expanded her role far beyond her initial experiences in ambulance services.
Alecka’s research aims to explore the practices and demographic characteristics of paramedics working in primary healthcare contexts in Australia and New Zealand.
At Dianella, she collaborates with nurses and other healthcare professionals, emphasising patient-centred and holistic care. Their teamwork is characterised by mutual respect and recognition of each other’s strengths, fostering a supportive environment for managing both urgent care and chronic disease management.
Australian Health Journal spoke to her about her day to day experience in general practice.
Source: Written from transcript
Footage credit: ACPIC24, Australasian College of Paramedicine
-
Family biz succeeds in vaccine approval & distribution
It’s been 10 years since Jenny and Karl Herz started in business. Over the past 10 years they’ve launched Biointelect and Biocelect businesses to help secure approval and distribution for new medicines into Australia.
In this Australian Health Journal interview, Jenny and Karl talk about the journey the husband and wife team took to get the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine (Nuvaxovid) approved and distributed in Australia. The journey didn’t just include talented and diverse skilled staff but also their children working in both organisations.
-
AHW Exhibitor: Gentec Australia
Gentec Australia, an Australian supplier of tapware and designer of wash basins to the healthcare industry exhibited at last week’s Australian Healthcare Week 2019. Their patented basin design reduces the risk of infection through splashing from water through an offset waste, as well as other infection control features. Know My Group reporter Anne Dao spoke with General Manager for Sales Graeme Bunt and State Manager (VIC) Vanessa Beever.
In an upcoming segment Australian Health Journal will cover the technologies deployed and steps taken by hospitals and clinics in infection control.
-
Investigating use of dietary supplements for osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is a leading cause of disability affecting over 2 million Australians, according to Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report on Chronic musculoskeletal conditions (2024) and 595 million people globally, according to BD 2021 Osteoarthritis Collaborators. Global, regional, and national burden of osteoarthritis, 1990–2020. It represents a significant public health burden that diminishes quality of life among ageing populations.
