A woman who attacked a Fraser Island paramedic trying to treat her remains on the run, as her victim recovers in a Brisbane hospital.
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Police said the woman came to the Queensland Ambulance Centre at Happy Valley about 3.30pm on Friday requesting assistance, and when the paramedic escorted her to the examination room she produced a box knife and demanded medication.
During a struggle, the paramedic received a cut to his arm, a stab wound to his abdomen and injuries to his wrist and ankle before being rendered unconscious.
When the paramedic, 56, came to, he rang triple zero and two helicopters were sent while the local police, rural fire wardens and members of the public came to help.
The paramedic, known as "Phil", was taken to the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital in a stable condition.
His attacker was unable to access any medication due to the strict security measures at all ambulance stations.
On Saturday morning, Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Cameron Dick and Queensland Ambulance Service Commissioner Russell Bowles visited Phil's bedside. Mr Dick said the attack was a "disturbing and shocking premeditated criminal assault".
"There is no place for violence like this in the workforce in Queensland ... and certainly not for anyone who works in healthcare," Mr Dick said.
Commissioner Bowles described Phil as "a very resilient individual".
"Phil is quite traumatised by the events of the last 24 hours and as the commissioner of the [ambulance] service, that just makes me sick," he said.
The assault has raised questions as to why Phil was alone and renewed calls for more effective safety measures to protect paramedics, such as body cameras worn by police.
"In small, low-workload areas like [Fraser Island] that are normally a great and idyllic place to work [paramedics working alone] is the normal staffing," the commissioner said.
"We respond to patients when they are at their most vulnerable and if you think of some of the cases a paramedic would see in a shift ... such as a woman giving birth or an assault victim ... to have a body-worn camera would just not be appropriate for a lot of our patients."
A total of 238 Queensland paramedics were attacked in the 2015/2016 financial year and Commissioner Bowles said, "It just has to stop."
The alleged attacker is described as a Caucasian female, about 175 centimetres tall, of slim build, aged in her late 20s or early 30s with an Australian accent.
Anyone with information should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
