Any UK Paramedics out there?

CWATT

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I’m curious about working in the UK. As a Canadian, we have the opportunity to work in other commonwealth countries fir up to two years without too many hassles. I’ll be finishing up my Advanced Care Paramedic program next semester and I’m wondering about labour mobility and registration.

What sort of regulators are there in the UK? I think I’m most interested in Scotland, but Wales or Britain would be great too.


Thanks in advance,

- C
 
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C

CWATT

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@SpecialK thanks for the links. I had a poke around the UK College of Paramedics website as well. Is there only one level / scope of practice for the UK? Canada has EMR/PCP/ACP/CCP and the US has EMT-B/EMT-A/EMT-P. I’m interested to know what my current level of training translates to.

Thanks again.
 

joshrunkle35

EMT-P/RN
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@SpecialK thanks for the links. I had a poke around the UK College of Paramedics website as well. Is there only one level / scope of practice for the UK? Canada has EMR/PCP/ACP/CCP and the US has EMT-B/EMT-A/EMT-P. I’m interested to know what my current level of training translates to.

Thanks again.

The US is slightly different. Each state has its own rules, but, the national standards as set forth by NAEMT and NREMT and the majority of states currently use: EMR/EMT/AEMP/Paramedic
 

SpecialK

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Yes, essentially the UK simply has "Paramedic" and that's it. A bit like Nursing, some Trusts have added various bits and pieces fo it and called them e.g. a Critical Care Paramedic (particularly SECAmb) and London has "Advanced Paramedics" which are an LAS-specific thing however most every ambulance has a "Paramedic" and some non-regulated, lower form of person who is either a historic Ambulance Technician or an Emergency Care Assistant.

From what I have seen of the UK their "Paramedics" are not very extensive; they can do run of the mill things like start IV lines, give IV drugs, insert LMAs etc but they cannot cardiovert or pace en-masse, none are doing RSI, and their formulary is probably 5-7 years behind Australasia. I do like their pathways are quite developed though.

I understand the UK COP wants to bring some standardisation to the system however I don't know much about it. I've also seen a flood of exodus from the UK given the long-running austerity, public sector pay-cap, and creeping NHS handover to the private sector.

I'd be looking to see if you can get a skilled migrant visa to either Australia or New Zealand mate.
 

Aprz

The New Beach Medic
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I'd be looking to see if you can get a skilled migrant visa to either Australia or New Zealand mate.
Loved the TV show following Australian paramedics, lol, but they don't seem to actually go over a lot of what the system is like, the pay, the training, and their scope. It just followed like I think "They have 18 weeks of paramedic school and they get paired up with another senior medic to learn the ropes. Here are some cool calls!" kind of show. What are the reasons that you think St. John or Victoria are better than LAS?
 

SpecialK

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The show Paramedics followed NSW Ambulance vocational trainees. I've crewed out of two of the stations they filmed at. ASNSW is the only ambulance service in Australasia to still offer the old-vocational Advanced Diploma, all other services now require a BHSc or equivalent prior to commencing employment. This is simply because of the huge geography of NSW and some other workforce challenges.

It's not eighteen weeks in one block; it's spread out over about two and a half years; so you might do ten weeks in a block then a year on the road then four weeks then another six months on the road then another four weeks then another six months. This pathway will probably be closed before the end of the decade and only degree graduates will be employed.

I don't have my ASNSW manuals anymore but essentially it's nothing different much from any other jurisdiction in Australasia except for some specifics. All of the normal stuff; starting IV lines, inserting LMAs, a range of IM and IV drugs and such with ICP ontop.

Pay is about 65-70k annually plus loadings; for example working Sunday is more, working Sunday night is more more and working Sunday night on an overtime you'd be earning something like over $100 an hour for some hours.

Don't get me wrong about the LAS; I've been to London a couple of times and absolutely love London and the NHS but clinically I don't think they are as good in some aspects although they have very well developed pathways; and let's be fair ... demand is so insane plus I don't think the pay is very good.
 
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