Ambulance service

Each year, one in twenty people will use the Accident and Emergency Ambulance Service. But responding to 999 calls makes up only 10% of the total workload of a typical ambulance service. They are also involved in non-emergency work such as the Patient Transport Service.

A typical emergency ambulance crew will include a paramedic and an emergency care assistant. The role of a paramedic is to take the lead in dealing with accidents and emergencies. They use a number of techniques such as administering drug treatments and intravenous injections in order to stabilise a patient for movement to hospital. Emergency care assistants work alongside paramedics, often in patient transport for non-urgent cases, and help give immediate aid in accident and emergency situations.

Promotion can be to supervisory and management roles and there are also opportunities in some areas for specialist work with motorcycle, car or air ambulance units. Paramedics can also progress to ambulance officer and more senior management posts, or they can elect to move into posts in the control centres or training schools. Other roles can be found in HR, finance, administration, clinical standards and quality control.

The skills you need for a career in the ambulance service

• Quick thinking and decisiveness
• Ability to provide a calm environment
• Communication skills
• Ability to work as a team in high-stress situations.

Ambulance service recruitment

Most paramedics in England and Wales are employed by local Ambulance Service NHS Trusts. In Northern Ireland these are called Health and Social Care Trusts. In Scotland there is a national NHS Ambulance Trust, organised into three regions. Paramedics are also employed in the armed forces and on oil and gas rigs so there are opportunities to work overseas.

Various universities offer a range of paramedical qualifications at foundation degree, diploma and BSc degree level, approved by the Health Professions Council. These can be taken on a full-time, sandwich or part-time basis and after graduating you can join an NHS Trust as a paramedic.

The other main route is to join an ambulance service as a student paramedic, undertaking three years of study combined with work placements so that you can put what you’ve learned into practice. Entry requirements vary between different NHS trusts, so contact the one you have in mind for details.