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Your role as a patient transport officer
As a patient transport officer, you’ll provide ambulance transport for people who can’t use community, public or private transport for medical reasons.
This includes:
- driving patients between their home, hospital and other health facilities
- keeping them safe and comfortable
- providing basic patient care and first aid when it’s needed.
We have full time, part time and casual roles, and you may work different shifts as part of a team.
How your role is different from a paramedic
Patient transport officers provide pre-booked ambulance transport for people who need support with non-urgent medical care. Our paramedics are health professionals who arrive to give urgent care during a medical emergency.
What your day might look like
In this role, you’ll work for the Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) at one of our ambulance stations. You’ll work in a team to drive people who need non-urgent health care between places like:
- their home
- hospitals
- health clinics
- aged care facilities
- rehabilitation centres.
Our operations centre will send you details about each job, including your patient’s health and any special support they need during the trip. You’ll make sure you have the equipment you need to keep them safe and comfortable, such as:
- wheelchairs and stretchers
- oxygen or breathing support
- medical monitoring devices
- blankets, sheets and comfort items.
A big part of your job is planning for risks or problems during the trip. For example, narrow doors or staircases in your patient’s home might mean you need help to transport them on a stretcher. If a patient needs more care than you can give, you might arrange to have a paramedic travel with you. You may also need to provide basic first aid or medical care if your patient’s condition changes.
When you pick up your patient, you’ll check their ID and any paperwork and make sure they’re comfortable. Their family, carers or health professionals may be waiting at the drop off location, and you’ll provide support during the handover.
You’ll also keep our operations centre updated with your location and confirm once you finish each job.
Qualifications
You need a current first aid certificate (HLTAID011 Provide first aid), including CPR training (HLTAID009 Provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation).
You’ll also need the following Queensland driver licences:
- C Class (manual vehicle) driver licence
- LR Light Rigid (manual vehicle) driver licence.
Learn more about licence types on the Queensland Government website.
Pay and benefits
Your pay rate and benefits will depend on your role and your pay point. In your first year you’ll start at patient transport officer level 1, pay point 1. You’ll get a higher rate if you have qualifications and experience.
We also offer:
- regular wage increases
- a superannuation rate of 12.75%
- several types of leave, with 17.5% annual leave loading
- flexible working arrangements and a supportive workplace with free counselling and peer support
- salary packaging
- help with training costs.
If you're moving to start a new job with us, you may be able to get help with moving and travel costs.
Learn more about working for the Queensland Ambulance Service
Regional opportunities
We have patient transport roles in major cities and regional centres right across Queensland.
Professional growth
We’ll help you grow your professional skills through:
- orientation programs and transition support for new staff
- workplace learning and coaching
- training and research programs and grants
- study leave and financial help for approved courses.
Career paths
Getting experience as a patient transport officer and doing more training can lead to other roles.
If you plan to do more study, ask your training provider if your past studies can count towards a higher qualification.