The future of ambulance education

1
The future of ambulance education

• Richard Diment
• Chief Executive
• Ambulance Service Association

2
Workshop objectives

• Is ambulance education fit for purpose for today/
  tomorrow?
• Does the IHCD syllabus give paramedics/
  technicians appropriate knowledge/skills?
• Education/training for other staff groups PTS,
  Control Staff
• Is education delivered efficiently /effectively?
• How should education be changed/funded?

3
Ambulance Education Today

• Unusual delivered in-house to staff recruited
  directly by services
• Based on a syllabus developed by employers now
  owned by the ASA
• Outside of NMET
• Paramedics registered but non-graduate

4
But its not all bad

• Recruitment is not a problem
• Paid during training
• Services have control over recruitment and
  training process
• Suits mature entrants
• Changes are relatively simple
• Awards recognized across the ambulance service

5
Changing role of the ambulance service

• Clinical Governance Agenda - CHI
• Reforming Emergency Care
• Primary Care
• Emergency Care Practitioners
• GMS/OOH
• Service wants to take these on

6
Liberated paramedic

• Discretion to administer new drugs
  thrombolytics, morphine etc
• Flexibility to treat and discharge or direct
  elsewhere in the healthcare system
• Support through the JRCALC guidelines
• Patients dont differentiate between the
  different parts of the NHS they want a seamless
  journey

7
Professional regulation and registration

• Paramedics for now but likely to extend to all
  posts with direct/indirect patient contact
• Formal requirement for CPD to maintain
  registration deferred but not for long
• In other AHPs lead is taken by professional body
  but paramedics are a not profession and not yet
  organised for professional purposes

8
Need to address HR issues

• Agenda for Change Knowledge and skills
  framework
• Changing Workforce Programme skills to work
  flexibly and change careers (within the NHS)
• Opportunities for older staff to use their
  skills in other roles rather than take early
  retirement

9
Some thoughts from the ASA

• Need to move within mainstream education but
  maintain flexibility of entry routes
• Map IHCD qualifications to equivalent mainstream
  qualifications BTEC, Cert, Diploma, Degree etc
• Secure NMET funding likely for ECPs other could
  follow
• Hand pre-registration training over to a
  professional body
• Need to develop appropriate CPD/KSF

10
Working with stakeholders

• Staff
• Patients and the public
• NHS Partners - PCTs, Acutes, GPs
• Government and Health Regulation Bodies
• Social services

11
A few final issues

• Driver training C1/D1, Emergency Driving, RRVs,
  Refresher training
• Management and leadership training

12
Workshop questions

• Is ambulance education fit for purpose?
• What do you like about the current system?
• What dont you like about the current system?
• What would you like ambulance education to look
  like in the future?