Competition to Hire Paramedics ‘Challenging’ For Ambulance Service, SCC Told

Published on: 11 Dec, 2019
Updated on: 13 Dec, 2019

Call staff at South East Coast Ambulance NHS Foundation Trust. Image SECAmb.

By Rebecca Curley

local democracy reporter

Recruiting paramedics for Surrey is a “big challenge” for the ambulance trust which “struggles” to fill vacancies, a Surrey County Council meeting heard on Wednesday (December 4).

Although South East Coast Ambulance Trust (SECAmb) is said to be on target with recruiting newly qualified paramedics by the end of this financial year, concern has been raised that it will struggle to compete with newly-formed GP primary care networks (PCNs) also hiring paramedic crews.

The PCNs, introduced by the NHS last year, bring GP practices together to offer shared services such as community care, mental health and social care.

They cover a range of 30,000 to 50,000 people.
But some PCNs are hiring paramedics to send on patient home visits rather than people having to visit hospitals or see a doctor at a surgery.

SECAmb covers a geographical area of 3,600 square miles (Brighton & Hove, East Sussex, West Sussex, Kent, Surrey, and North East Hampshire) and there are 25 PCNs across Surrey heartlands.

Bethan Haskins, executive director of nursing and quality at SECAmb, told the SCC adult and health select committee they were concerned about the challenge of both the Trust and the PCNs in Surrey trying to recruit paramedics.

She said one PCN alone wanted to hire 54 of them and many other PCNs were recruiting. “This is an incredible worry for us,” she said.

“We already really struggle to recruit the number of qualified paramedics we need and we are worried about this development.”

The meeting was told this was a national concern as PCNs were being set up.
Paramedics now need to either have a degree in paramedic science or they can join SECAmb as an emergency care support worker and then work towards a placement as a student paramedic.

A spokesman for South East Coast Ambulance Service, (SECAmb) said: “Our paramedic recruitment is on target and we will have 200 newly qualified paramedics by the end of this financial year.

This is through in-service career progression and with new university recruits. We are aiming for similar levels of recruitment in the coming years as we look to further increase our permanent workforce.”

He stressed the ambulance Trust and the PCNs would not be competing for paramedics, but would try to work together to recruit more.

He added: “We are very aware of the system-wide role paramedics can play and we will be working closely with partners at both a national and regional level to ensure all parts of the health system complement each other.

“We are also pleased with the success of our rotational paramedic pilot, in which our staff split their hours between responding to 999 calls out on the road, working in our Emergency Operations Centre and working in primary care.”

The Trust was taken out of special measures in August this year after receiving an improved rating from the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

The report rated the Trust as good, outstanding for urgent and emergency care (its 999 service) and caring.

There are three ways to become a paramedic for SECAmb:

1: Degree
You need to have a BSc degree in paramedic science and be registered with the HCPC. There are four universities the Trust works with; Canterbury Christ Church, Medway; Greenwich, Chatham Medway; Brighton, East Sussex and University of Surrey, Guildford.

You need to apply to the university to get a place on the course through the normal application process.

Requirements:

• A Level grades BBB to AAB (a science A-level is desirable) or a BTEC grades DDD to DDM in a health-related subject. Or;
• Foundation degree in a health-related subject. Or;
• HND in a health-related subject;
• You may also be required to have GCSE maths, English and science, minimum grade C. or;
• An approved Access to Higher Education Diploma with a minimum of 60 credits plus GCSE maths and English grade C.
Personal requirements
• Personal statement indicating your motivation and reasons;
• Practical or relevant experience;
• Full clean UK driving licence;
• Satisfactory level of physical fitness;
• Ability to commit to a range of shifts;
• Pass a literacy and numeracy assessment; and
• Pass Occupational Health and Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks

2: Work placement
Work placement entries are open to SECamb staff working for the Trust as emergency crew support workers or technicians.
You would attend St George’s University, Tooting to achieve a BSc in paramedic science.

3: Already qualified
Qualified paramedics working elsewhere can also apply to the Trust.

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