Any Paramedics Here?
- Thread starter TeeDee
- Start date
I was going to PM you but figure it may be of interest and benefit to others here.
Could you give me an over view of the current situation please , more people leaving ( if so why ) or coming into the service.
How would one get into the career ( assuming one wanted to now ) - I've heard its either 2 years training or 5 years??
What jobs can it lead onto??
A warts'n'all would be useful - thanks.
Just askinging for some dialogue if you are willing either here or via PM depending on what you want to say.
Could you give me an over view of the current situation please , more people leaving ( if so why ) or coming into the service.
How would one get into the career ( assuming one wanted to now ) - I've heard its either 2 years training or 5 years??
What jobs can it lead onto??
A warts'n'all would be useful - thanks.
Just askinging for some dialogue if you are willing either here or via PM depending on what you want to say.
ok here goes,
there is no nationalised "ambulance service" there are 13 regional ambulance trusts that are responsible for providing 999 services, they are discrete individual NHS "businesses" and as such there are differences between trusts. as with the rest of the NHS there are strict money issues which lead to some cutbacks, again it depends which trust you look at to see where they save money (staff training, equipment etc). Performance is managed by a national target called ORCON, 8 min response time for "life threatening" calls 30 mins for less urgent "emergency" calls, financialy penalties are based on the trust reaching this in 75% of all calls - therefore ORCON is GOD. note the use of quotation marks as there is often little similarity between the category of the call and how ill/injured the patient actually turns out to be!
Nationally there is a bit of a crisis, there aren't enough paramedics to go around, much the same with nursing, there simply isn't the structure to put enough students through quick enough to off set those that retire (at 68 now!) and those that change career (of which there are a vast amount) nursing plugs the gap with staff from outside the UK but there is limited scope to do this for paramedics as there are only a few other English speaking countries that have an equivalent scope of practice for their pre hospital staff (Aus and NZ being about it!). Morale is generally low, there is an increase in demand by about 6% every year, and at times (especially in london) demand far outstrips resources, to a point where it has become dangerous for both staff and patients. it is a vastly different job now than when I started, and the pressure can take its toll. historically there has been little done to address this only now is it becoming less of a Taboo within the service and some steps have been taken to safeguard the workforce in a more proactive way.
There is a lot more clinical responsibility now with paramedics practising at a level that isn't really comparable to any other area of the NHS. and this is beginning to be recognised outside of the Amb service. often other healthcare professionals see us as mere "ambulance drivers" (including the Minister for Health Jeremy *unt) but Paramedics are now getting opportunities to work in hospital resus rooms, cardiology units, GP surgeries, Minor Injuries units etc. there are also specialist roles within the Paramedic profession - there is the HART (or SORT) teams who do lots of sexy fireman training and strut about in green nomex and have lots of shiny kit, the Critical Care paramedic role specialises in the sickest/most injured and the role I do - "Practitioner in Urgent and Emergency Care" is more focused on treating minor injuries and health problems in the community. Bear in mind these roles will only be open to those with experience and mean you go back to uni for another 2-3 years (albeit on a part time basis).
depending on trust there are two routes to the title of Paramedic (its protected and you have to be on a register to call yourself one) both require a BSc from one of the unis around the country that run the courses.
1: external student - apply to uni and go through the 3 year degree course and then apply for a job as per usual graduate process, some unis are NHS funded (reduced or no tuition fees) some are up to 9k a year.
2: Some trusts will put employees through the degree course - so you could apply to a trust that does this for a lower grade role (what used to be called EMT) and hope you can get selected.
bear in mind that for some reason the courses are VERY popular - often applications in the 1000s for 30 places per year!
hope this helps...
there is no nationalised "ambulance service" there are 13 regional ambulance trusts that are responsible for providing 999 services, they are discrete individual NHS "businesses" and as such there are differences between trusts. as with the rest of the NHS there are strict money issues which lead to some cutbacks, again it depends which trust you look at to see where they save money (staff training, equipment etc). Performance is managed by a national target called ORCON, 8 min response time for "life threatening" calls 30 mins for less urgent "emergency" calls, financialy penalties are based on the trust reaching this in 75% of all calls - therefore ORCON is GOD. note the use of quotation marks as there is often little similarity between the category of the call and how ill/injured the patient actually turns out to be!
Nationally there is a bit of a crisis, there aren't enough paramedics to go around, much the same with nursing, there simply isn't the structure to put enough students through quick enough to off set those that retire (at 68 now!) and those that change career (of which there are a vast amount) nursing plugs the gap with staff from outside the UK but there is limited scope to do this for paramedics as there are only a few other English speaking countries that have an equivalent scope of practice for their pre hospital staff (Aus and NZ being about it!). Morale is generally low, there is an increase in demand by about 6% every year, and at times (especially in london) demand far outstrips resources, to a point where it has become dangerous for both staff and patients. it is a vastly different job now than when I started, and the pressure can take its toll. historically there has been little done to address this only now is it becoming less of a Taboo within the service and some steps have been taken to safeguard the workforce in a more proactive way.
There is a lot more clinical responsibility now with paramedics practising at a level that isn't really comparable to any other area of the NHS. and this is beginning to be recognised outside of the Amb service. often other healthcare professionals see us as mere "ambulance drivers" (including the Minister for Health Jeremy *unt) but Paramedics are now getting opportunities to work in hospital resus rooms, cardiology units, GP surgeries, Minor Injuries units etc. there are also specialist roles within the Paramedic profession - there is the HART (or SORT) teams who do lots of sexy fireman training and strut about in green nomex and have lots of shiny kit, the Critical Care paramedic role specialises in the sickest/most injured and the role I do - "Practitioner in Urgent and Emergency Care" is more focused on treating minor injuries and health problems in the community. Bear in mind these roles will only be open to those with experience and mean you go back to uni for another 2-3 years (albeit on a part time basis).
depending on trust there are two routes to the title of Paramedic (its protected and you have to be on a register to call yourself one) both require a BSc from one of the unis around the country that run the courses.
1: external student - apply to uni and go through the 3 year degree course and then apply for a job as per usual graduate process, some unis are NHS funded (reduced or no tuition fees) some are up to 9k a year.
2: Some trusts will put employees through the degree course - so you could apply to a trust that does this for a lower grade role (what used to be called EMT) and hope you can get selected.
bear in mind that for some reason the courses are VERY popular - often applications in the 1000s for 30 places per year!
hope this helps...
Wow! and yes it does - many thanks indeed.
Damn , didn't realise it was that bad.
Also thank you for doing the job youre doing - I know its bit of an American thing ( Thank you for your service ) but I see no harm in it and feel its as valid to the Health Professionals.
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They are a quiet blessing from the NHS 
Seriously they are, and with two elderly and frail relations just around the corner from me, I am incredibly grateful to every one of the ambulance staff and paramedics that have arrived to help over the years.
They've not only helped, but done so with courtesy and kindness even when things didn't look good.
The work you and your colleagues do is much appreciated sausage100uk
M
Seriously they are, and with two elderly and frail relations just around the corner from me, I am incredibly grateful to every one of the ambulance staff and paramedics that have arrived to help over the years.
They've not only helped, but done so with courtesy and kindness even when things didn't look good.
The work you and your colleagues do is much appreciated sausage100uk
M
Paramedics are not valued highly enough in my opinion and should receive much more public recognition for the diverse and very difficult role they do.
I have always breathed a sigh of relief when the paramedic has taken over from my 1st Aid attempts!
When my wife's boss had a massive heart attack at home the 999 ambulance came fully fitted out - but with no paramedic!
Luckily enough his son - a paramedic - just happened to visit home just at the right time and took over to great effect. My wife still has the same boss
We need more paramedics - an undervalued, under recognised bunch of true lifesavers!
When my wife's boss had a massive heart attack at home the 999 ambulance came fully fitted out - but with no paramedic!
Luckily enough his son - a paramedic - just happened to visit home just at the right time and took over to great effect. My wife still has the same boss
We need more paramedics - an undervalued, under recognised bunch of true lifesavers!
Let me make it clear that there are different grades that currently work within the NHS Ambulance service most of which are clinical grades ,just because an ambulance or response car doesn't have a paramedic on doesn't mean you won't get the same treatment....
Gp surgeries, a&e, Just had a colleague get a job at cardiac unit, dwp employ paramedics to do pip assessments.
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According to something on radio 4 the other week some just pack it in due to stress, others (many of whom have had to fund their own training) get work abroad where the pay and conditions are better.
It is down to each NHS trust unit to decide whether to fund training or not and they all lack money.
The sad thing is that the UK has probably the best record for training medical people in the world but we are constantly having to employ staff trained overseas as we can't keep the ones we trained.
That has a bard smell to me, "there is something rotten in the state of Denmark"
Rob.
According to something on radio 4 the other week some just pack it in due to stress, others (many of whom have had to fund their own training) get work abroad where the pay and conditions are better.
It is down to each NHS trust unit to decide whether to fund training or not and they all lack money.
The sad thing is that the UK has probably the best record for training medical people in the world but we are constantly having to employ staff trained overseas as we can't keep the ones we trained.
That has a bard smell to me, "there is something rotten in the state of Denmark"
Rob.
I've been thinking about attempting to retrain for some time but this sort of situation is a concern for - i'd love to be able to 'give back' but very worrying if most of those in are looking to leave. :-(
I imagine that bit about "giving back" is what makes I both worthwhile and problematic. If you're willing to move elsewhere to higher pay and better working conditions it would be easier, but would you till get that same sense of satisfaction from helping that you would working at home?
The Ambulance trusts are struggling to maintain staff across the country.of the 23 newly trained paramedics that joined over the past year 2015 15 have already left ,half the problem is young people joining and suddenly realising that shift work hurts and an awful lot of thing we get sent to don't require and ambulance at all.and generally speaking the public are rude abusive .....we do meet a lot of nice people...and what ever the issue evryone is looking for some one to blame because it could not have been my fault I got steaming drunk and fell over ...
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