Paramedics have stopped asking sick and injured patients ‘Who is the prime minister?’ to determine their lucidity, because the question is too confusing.

The procedure was previously used to determine an individual’s mental alertness and memory, but with five prime ministers in the last five years the query is now being used less, the Courier Mail reports.

Queensland paramedic Greg Abood told the Courier Mail he no longer asks patients that question.

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“We would ask patients that question because it gave us an idea of their conscious level and ability to recall events,” Mr Abood said.

“But the county’s prime ministers are changing so often, it’s no longer a good indication of their mental status.”

He said when quizzed on who the PM was, a patient once responded “I haven’t watched the news today”.

A spokesman for Queensland Ambulance Service said there was no set questions within their protocol.

“Often it is more appropriate to ask a question relevant to other current events or within the ‘lifestyle’ of the patient attended,” they said. 

“It is important to remember that an accurate assessment of a patient’s level of consciousness is far more detailed than just the recollection of a fact or name.”