Paramedics are usually the first to respond to an emergency 999 call and work in a fast paced and essential role where they take decisions to save lives.
Working as a qualified paramedic means variety in your everyday life and you will work in many different situations including life threatening emergencies as well as non-emergency, routine calls.
Working life
Working as a paramedic will mean that you are trained to resuscitate and stabilise patients using sophisticated techniques, equipment and drugs. In an emergency, you may use high-tech equipment such as defibrillators, and spinal and traction splints, as well as administering oxygen and other drugs.
You’ll often work alongside the police and fire and rescue services and along with your patients, you’ll also support relatives, friends and members of the public, some of whom might be highly agitated.
As a paramedic, you’ll be the senior member of a two-person team, with an emergency care assistant or a technician to support you. You may also work on your own using a motorbike or bicycle or will provide advice over the telephone from a control room or clinical hub.
Paramedics work closely with other healthcare teams in the community, such as GPs, occupational therapists, mental health teams, diabetes specialists and doctors and nurses in hospital emergency departments.
Requirements
To become a registered Paramedic, you’ll first need to successfully complete an approved degree in paramedic science or with an apprenticeship degree. You’ll then need to apply to an ambulance service as a qualified paramedic and register with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
Paramedic science courses usually take between three or four years full time and include a mixture of theory and practical work including placements with the ambulance services.
Entry requirements for an undergraduate course are typically:
- Two or three A levels, including a science, along with five GCSEs (grades 9-4/A-C), including English language, maths and science
or equivalent qualifications:
- A BTEC, HND or HNC, including science
- A relevant T-level
- A relevant NVQ
- A science- or health-based access course
- Equivalent Scottish or Irish qualifications
If you’re applying to be a paramedic, you’ll be asked to show how you think the values of the NHS Constitution apply in your everyday work. You will also have to provide this information if you are applying for a paramedic degree directly.
Each university sets its own entry requirements, so it’s important to check with them which qualifications they will accept. In most cases, the results of an interview and other selection processes are also considered as well as your academic qualifications.
Working as a Paramedic will also provide further opportunities to develop your career through apprenticeships and internal training in the future.
Degree apprenticeship route
For those interested in becoming a Paramedic, there is a degree apprenticeship programme for paramedic science.
To access the degree apprenticeship route, you would need to either apply for an apprentice post at a healthcare employer willing to support the programme or work as in an ambulance service role first before accessing the programme as an internal candidate.
Some ambulance trusts offer the option of studying whilst you work and each will set its own entry requirements. They usually ask for:
- At least five GCSEs, grade 4/C or above, including English, maths and science
or
- Equivalent academic qualification with a high level of health or science content
Employers will look for a good level of physical fitness and two years of driving experience. The recruitment process often involves several stages of interviews, tests, fitness assessments and driving tasks.
Personal characteristics
To work successfully within the Ambulance Service team, you need to consider your own personal characteristics. You would need to have the following attributes or similar:
- Be accurate and methodical and have good attention to detail
- Be able to assess a situation quickly
- Be resilient and prepared to go into unknown or unpredictable situations
- Be able to work as part of a team but also able to use your own initiative
- Be willing to follow procedures
- Be able to work with all people from various backgrounds with different experiences
- Be able to stay calm under pressure
- Have good conflict management skills as some of those who you attend to will be distressed, angry or scared
- Have strong communication skills
- Have strong IT and digital skills
- Be willing to train and support new ambulance service staff
Skills required
To work successfully with the Ambulance Service, you need to consider the skills that you have. You would need to demonstrate the following:
- Be well organised and able to plan your time
- Be able to communicate with a variety of people using different methods
- Have positive customer service skills
- Be patient, caring and kind
- Be able to reassure those who may be anxious, scared, angry or distressed
- Be able to manage challenging behaviour
- Be able to make decisions
- Be able to verbalise complicated information and ensure this is understood
- Be physically fit
- Be able to work alone where required
- Be resilient and able to manage complex problems
Training and development opportunities
When you begin to work as a Paramedic, you will receive the training you require to be able to undertake the role successfully. You will receive an induction which will introduce you to the department you will be working in, will support you in accessing the IT systems and will ensure you are aware of the policies and procedures you will be required to follow in the undertaking of your role. You will also have to complete any statutory and mandatory training that your employer requires such as fire training, data security training and customer service.
As part of your training, you will be required to be competent in moving and handling, first aid, basic patient skills and safe driving techniques. Some of these training programmes will require practical assessments and written exams.
Career development opportunities
Once you have experience working as a Paramedic, there are many other roles you could progress into. You could lead a team, become a supervisor or develop your career into management. You could also transfer into other specialist healthcare roles such as becoming an experienced paramedic once you have achieved the requirements of this role.
You may also be able to use your skills and experience to teach or research and some Paramedics join teams focussed on stroke patients, working on an air ambulance, in a GP surgery or an A&E department.
Pay and benefits
Paramedics usually work 37.5 hours per week and you will be required to work shifts, nights, evenings, weekends and bank holidays. You also need to be prepared to work outside in all weathers.
Paramedics in the NHS are paid using the Agenda for Change (AfC) system and Paramedics who are qualified will typically start their career on AfC band 5 progressing to band 6 but with experience, further training and additional qualifications, can progress further up the pay scale.
Other benefits of working within the Ambulance Service include access to a pension scheme, health service discounts such as a Blue Light Card and 27 days of annual leave in addition to bank holidays.