Ambulance Service Regulation 2015


Queensland Crest
Ambulance Service Regulation 2015

1Short title

This regulation may be cited as the Ambulance Service Regulation 2015.

2Definitions

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

3Transport by ambulance

(1)If a person is involved in an accident or emergency and is transported by ambulance, the person may be taken to—
(a)the nearest public hospital; or
(b)another public hospital that a health service chief executive of a Hospital and Health Service 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 surgery; or
(e)at the request of the person, or the person’s parent or guardian—
(i)the accident and emergency department of a local private hospital; or
(ii)if a local doctor’s surgery or office has the facilities to receive and treat the person—the surgery or office.
(2)If a person in need of ambulance transport has been seen by a doctor, the person may be taken to a place nominated by the doctor.
(3)Ambulance transport of a person from a hospital or doctor’s surgery to another place of medical care or a private residence may be provided only on the written request of a doctor.
(4)A doctor must not make a nomination under subsection (2), or a request under subsection (3), unless the doctor is satisfied the person can not safely, or reasonably, travel by an alternative form of transport.
(5)Despite subsections (1) and (2), an ambulance officer may transport a person to any place where medical treatment is provided if the officer believes the person needs urgent medical treatment.

4Commissioner may decide conditions for transport by ambulance

(1)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 accompanying a person being transported in an ambulance.
(2)Despite subsection (1)(a), an ambulance officer may transport a person to any place where medical treatment is provided if the officer believes the person needs urgent medical treatment.

5Fees

(1)The fees payable under the Act for the use of an ambulance service are stated in schedule 1.
(2)Despite subsection (1), a fee is not payable by a non-exempt person under this section if—
(a)the person is merely accompanying another person being transported in an ambulance; or
(b)the Queensland Ambulance Service receives an amount from the Motor Accident Insurance Fund for providing an ambulance service to the person.
(3)Also, a fee is not payable by a non-exempt person under this section for use of an ambulance service if the service provided to the person was in relation to the special use of an ambulance service for which the chief executive has set a fee under section 54(4) of the Act.
(4)If a fee payable under this section is payable by a non-exempt person who is under a disability, the person’s parent, guardian, manager or legal representative may pay the fee.
(5)In this section—
estate under management see the Public Trustee Act 1978, section 64.
person under a disability means a person who is—
(a)a dependent minor; or
(b)a person whose estate is an estate under management; or
(c)a person otherwise legally incapable of managing the their estate.

5A[Expired]

s 5A ins 2017 SL No. 107 s 3

exp 18 April 2018 (see s 5A(2))

6Prescribed agreement between Queensland and the Commonwealth, another State or an entity—Act, s 50L(1)(a)

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

7Prescribed agreements between the service and an entity of the State—Act, s 50L(1)(b)

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

8Repeal of Ambulance Service Regulation 2003

The Ambulance Service Regulation 2003, SL No. 148 is repealed.

Schedule 1 Fees

section 5

1Fees payable

(1)The fee payable by a non-exempt person for the following ambulance services provided to the person is—
(a)for emergency transport—$1,353.50;
(b)for transport, other than emergency transport—
(i)for the first 50km travelled by the ambulance—$501.40; and
(ii)for each kilometre, or part of a kilometre, over 50km travelled by the ambulance—$2.04.
(2)The fee payable by a non-exempt person for examination of the person by an ambulance officer if ambulance transport is refused or not required is the greater of the following—
(a)$137.50;
(b)$18.70 for each kilometre, or part of a kilometre, travelled by the ambulance to a maximum of $1,353.50.
(3)The fee payable by a non-exempt person for first aid or emergency treatment provided to the person by an ambulance officer if ambulance transport is refused or not required is the greater of the following—
(a)$137.50;
(b)$18.70 for each kilometre, or part of a kilometre, travelled by the ambulance to a maximum of $1,353.50.
(4)The fee payable by a non-exempt person for treatment provided to the person at an ambulance casualty centre is $23.20.
(5)For this section, the number of kilometres travelled by an ambulance must be worked out by calculating the number of kilometres travelled by the ambulance beginning at the ambulance station nearest the place of attendance on the person and finishing at that station.

sch 1 amd 2016 SL No. 90 s 4; 2017 SL No. 81 s 4; 2018 SL No. 62 s 4; 2019 SL No. 98 s 4; 2020 SL No. 100 s 4

Schedule 2 Agreements

sections 6 and 7

Part 1 Agreement with Commonwealth, State or entity

The agreement dated 11 October 2017 called ‘Deed of Agreement between the Commonwealth of Australia (as represented by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, the Repatriation Commission and the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission) and the State of Queensland as represented by the Department of Health – Queensland Ambulance Service for the provision and payment of ambulance services to entitled persons’.

Part 2 Agreement with entity of the State

The agreement dated 1 June 2011 called, ‘Memorandum of Understanding between Queensland Health and the Department of Community Safety through Queensland Ambulance Service in relation to Queensland Health Authorised Transports’.

The agreement dated 29 May 2018 called ‘Memorandum of Understanding on the Provision of Transport and Pre-Hospital Patient Care between the Department of Education (Office of Industrial Relations) and Queensland Ambulance Service for 2018-2019’.

The agreement dated 14 July 2017 called ‘Memorandum of Understanding for Inter-Agency Computer Aided Dispatch Electronic Messaging System (ICEMS) Between State of Queensland acting through Queensland Health represented by Queensland Ambulance Service and State of Queensland acting through the Queensland Police Service and State of Queensland acting through the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services and State of Queensland acting through the Public Safety Business Agency’.

sch 2 amd 2018 SL No. 31 s 3; 2018 SL No. 215 s 3

Schedule 3 Dictionary

section 2

ambulance casualty centre means a place that is used by the service to provide medical treatment.
emergency transport means transport provided by the service in response to a request for urgent help.
guardian means a person who is recognised in law as having all the duties, powers, responsibilities and authority that, by law, parents have in relation to their children.
non-exempt person means a person other than a person who, under section 53B(1) of the Act, is not liable to pay a charge under the Act for the use of an ambulance service.