Paramedics Evidence Based Education Project

The aim of this pilot study would be to further progress the development of care and compassion in a culturally diverse ambulance service workforce with an understanding of urgent as well as emergency care, and has the resilience to commit to the service.

It has also been identified that the traditional pool of candidates is not reflective of the communities which Trusts serve, or is able to demonstrate a commitment to care prior to either entering training as a paramedic or entering the pipeline as, for example, an Emergency Care Assistant.

The Paramedic Evidence Based Education Project (PEEP) report is also relevant to this work. It found an emerging consensus that paramedics are autonomous professionals at the point of registration and well placed to effectively deliver a patient led, out of hospital urgent care service, but this could only be realised if more robust education and training system was in place.

A matter of concern for the education sector and the profession was how to enhance multi-professional learning opportunities for students. Importantly, it was found that there needed to be equivalent opportunities to access education and training as those available to other non-medical healthcare professionals.

Also, PEEP suggested a number of additions to the pre-registration, and where appropriate post-registration, curricula. These included:

In addition the increasing importance of the ambulance service acting as a community service with paramedics treating patients at the scene, thus reducing admissions to hospital, was highlighted in transforming urgent and emergency care services in England.

This pilot study would look to address the above.