Ambulance Service Regulation 2026

1Short title

This regulation may be cited as the Ambulance Service Regulation 2026.

2Commencement

This regulation commences on 31 July 2026.

3Definitions

The dictionary in schedule 3 defines particular words used in this regulation.

4Transport by ambulance to medical or health care facility after accident or emergency

(1)This section applies if a person who is involved in an accident or emergency is transported by ambulance from a place, other than a medical or health care facility the person is attending in relation to the accident or emergency.

(2)The person may be taken to—

(a)the nearest public hospital; or

(b)another public hospital that a health service chief executive under the Hospital and Health Boards Act 2011 has decided is appropriate for the treatment of the person; or

(c)if transport to a hospital mentioned in paragraph (a) or (b) is not practicable—a private hospital; or

(d)if arrangements have been made with a doctor—the doctor’s clinic or surgery; or

(e)at the request of the person, or the person’s guardian, parent or spouse—

(i)the accident and emergency department of a local private hospital; or

(ii)if a local medical or health care facility, other than a hospital, has facilities to receive and treat the person—the local medical or health care facility; or

(f)if an ambulance officer believes the person needs urgent medical treatment—any place where medical treatment is provided.

5Transport by ambulance from medical or health care facility after accident or emergency

(1)This section applies if a person who is involved in an accident or emergency—

(a)attends a medical or health care facility in relation to the accident or emergency; and

(b)is assessed as requiring attention at another medical or health care facility, or assistance to travel to the person’s residence, by—

(i)a doctor; or

(ii)if it is not practicable for a doctor to make the assessment—a medical or health care practitioner other than a doctor.

(2)A medical or health care practitioner may make a request, in writing, to the service to transport the person by ambulance to another medical or health care facility, or to the person’s residence, if the practitioner is satisfied the person can not safely, or reasonably, travel to the facility or residence by an alternative form of transport.

(3)If it is not practicable for the medical or health care practitioner to make the request in writing, the request may be made verbally.

(4)The person may be transported by ambulance to a medical or health care facility, or the person’s residence, in accordance with the request.

(5)However, an ambulance officer may transport the person to any place where medical treatment is provided if the officer believes the person needs urgent medical treatment.

(6)In this section—

medical or health care practitioner means a doctor, midwife, nurse practitioner or registered nurse.

midwife means a person registered under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law to practise in the midwifery profession, other than as a student.

nurse practitioner means a person—

(a)registered under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law to practise in the nursing profession, other than as a student; and

(b)whose registration is endorsed under that law as being qualified to practise as a nurse practitioner.

registered nurse means a person registered under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law—

(a)to practise in the nursing profession, other than as a student; and

(b)in the registered nurses division of that profession.

6Transport by ambulance other than for accident or emergency

(1)This section applies in relation to a person other than a person who is involved in an accident or emergency.

(2)A doctor may make a request, in writing, to the service to transport the person by ambulance from a place nominated by the doctor to a medical or health care facility if the doctor—

(a)assesses the person as requiring attention at a medical or health care facility in the future; and

(b)is satisfied the person can not safely, or reasonably, travel to the facility by an alternative form of transport.

(3)If it is not practicable for the doctor to make the request in writing, the request may be made verbally.

(4)The person may be transported by an ambulance—

(a)from the nominated place to a medical or health care facility in accordance with the request; and

(b)from a medical or health care facility to the person’s residence.

(5)However, an ambulance officer may transport the person to any place where medical treatment is provided if the officer believes the person needs urgent medical treatment.

7Commissioner may decide conditions for transport by ambulance

The commissioner may—

(a)divert an ambulance to the scene of an accident or emergency; or

(b)allow more than 1 person to be transported in an ambulance; or

(c)limit the amount of baggage and number of persons that may accompany a person being transported in an ambulance.

8Agreements—Act, s 50L

(1)The agreement stated in schedule 1, part 1 is prescribed for section 50L(1)(b) of the Act.

(2)The agreement stated in schedule 1, part 2 is prescribed for section 50L(2)(b) of the Act.

9Fees

(1)The fees payable under the Act for the use of an ambulance service are stated in schedule 2.

(2)Despite subsection (1), a fee is not payable by a person, under this section, for the use of an ambulance service if—

(a)the person is not liable to pay a charge for the use of the ambulance service under section 53B of the Act; or

(b)the person is merely accompanying another person being transported in an ambulance; or

(c)the Queensland Ambulance Service receives an amount from the Motor Accident Insurance Fund for providing the ambulance service to the person.

10Repeal

The Ambulance Service Regulation 2015, SL No. 97 is repealed.

section 8

The agreement dated 3 December 2025 called ‘Third Party Payment Agreement’ made between the State of Queensland as represented by the Department of Health (Queensland Ambulance Service) and the Commonwealth of Australia as represented by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.The agreement executed on 13 May 2026 called ‘Memorandum of Understanding for Inter-Agency Computer Aided Dispatch Electronic Messaging System (ICEMS) between The State of Queensland acting through Queensland Health represented by Queensland Ambulance Service and The State of Queensland acting through the Queensland Police Service and The State of Queensland acting through the Queensland Fire Department’.

section 9

Fees payable

(1)The fee payable by a person for the following ambulance services provided to the person is—

(a)for emergency transport—1,376.50 fee units;

(b)for transport other than emergency transport—509.90 fee units.

(2)The fee payable by a person for examination of the person by an ambulance officer if ambulance transport is refused or not required is 139.80 fee units.

(3)The fee payable by a person for first aid or emergency treatment provided to the person by an ambulance officer if ambulance transport is refused or not required is 139.80 fee units.

(4)The fee payable by a person for treatment provided to the person at an ambulance casualty centre is 23.50 fee units.

section 3

ambulance casualty centre means a place used by the service to provide medical treatment.

emergency transport means transport provided by the service in response to a request for urgent help.