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Ambulance paramedic
Hours
37.5 per week
Starting salary
£15,500 + per year
If you like variety and want to work in medical care, this could be a perfect job for you. Ambulance paramedics deal with medical emergencies. They also deal with non-emergency tasks such as hospital admissions, discharges and transfers. They usually work as part of a rapid response team dealing with a range of situations.
There are many ways to become an ambulance paramedic but there are some basic requirements. You’ll need excellent driving skills and a complete knowledge of the highway code. You’ll need a good level of fitness. And you’ll also need experience of dealing with the public, ideally within a caring role.
WorkDesc
The work
As a paramedic, you could deal with a range of situations, from minor wounds to serious injuries caused by a major road or rail accident. Your job would be to provide immediate care or treatment.
When responding to a call, you would check a patient's condition and decide what action to take. Your work may also include:
- making quick decisions about moving the patient
- using advanced life support techniques, such as electric shocks, to resuscitate patients
- carrying out surgical procedures, such as inserting a breathing tube
- using advanced devices to keep people breathing
- providing drug and fluid therapy
- giving medicines and injections
- putting on dressings for wounds and supports for broken bones.
Daily tasks include keeping accurate records and checking equipment.
You could work on a traditional ambulance or alone using a car, motorbike or bicycle. With experience you could work in a helicopter ambulance team.
HoursDesc
Hours
The emergency ambulance service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You would usually work 37.5 hours a week, including some night and weekend shifts, and bank holidays. Part-time hours are often also available.
You would wear a uniform, which includes protective clothing such as a bright jacket and safety boots. Your work may involve heavy lifting when transferring patients.
You are likely to experience some difficult situations, including dealing with upset people and those under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
IncomeDesc
Income
Student paramedics may be paid around £15,500 to £18,600 a year. Qualified paramedics can earn around £21,200 to £27,500 a year.
Emergency care practitioners (ECPs) and team leaders can earn up to £34,200 a year, and area managers may earn around £40,200 a year.
Additional allowances may be paid to staff in certain parts of the country and to those working on standby or in shift patterns.
Figures are intended as a guideline only.
EntryRequirementsDesc
Entry requirements
You need to be registered with the Health Professions Council before you can work unsupervised as a paramedic. To join the register, you need to complete a Health Professions Council (HPC) approved qualification that includes clinical placements with an ambulance service and various other health providers.
There are two ways that you can work towards HPC registration:
- by taking a Foundation Degree, Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE), or degree in paramedic emergency care (other subject titles may also be used)
- by getting a student paramedic job with an Ambulance Trust and studying whilst learning on the job (see the NHS Jobs website for vacancies).
To do a course, you will usually need five GCSEs (A-C) including English, maths and science, and between one and three A levels, often including a science. Check with course providers for exact requirements as other qualifications, such as an Access to Higher Education course, may also be accepted. Course providers are listed on the HPC website.
For a student paramedic job, requirements can vary but in general you will need:
- four or five GCSEs (A-C) including English, maths and science
- or around 12 months' experience as an ambulance care assistant, technician or emergency care assistant, plus evidence that you can study at higher education level. Some employers prefer those with Open University 'Openings' course credits, which cover research and study skills.
For further advice, contact your local ambulance service. These are listed on the NHS Choices website.
General requirements
Whichever route you choose you will need to meet some basic conditions, including:
- excellent driving skills and a thorough knowledge of the highway code
- good fitness levels and good eyesight (prescription glasses are acceptable)
- experience of dealing with the public, ideally within a caring role (paid or voluntary)
- a good understanding of the nature of ambulance work.
You will also need a C1 category driving licence with no more than 3 penalty points. You may be accepted with a provisional C1 licence, but you will need a full licence before you start working. Some ambulance services may support you through this extra driving qualification, however this is not standard practice. You must be at least age 18 to apply for a C1 licence.
You will also need Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) clearance. See the CRB website for details.
TrainingAndDevelopmentDesc
Training and development
If you are training as a paramedic by taking a foundation degree, DipHE or degree, your course will be full-time or part-time. It will take between two and five years, depending on which of these you choose. During this time you will also be attached to an ambulance service and do supervised work alongside qualified paramedics. When you join an ambulance service you will also be required to pass a three-week course in emergency driving.
If you join the ambulance service as a student paramedic, there will be a greater amount of training on the job. You will also work towards a qualification at Diploma level, and you will have regular performance reviews and assessments over a three-year period. This leads to registration with the Health Professions Council (HPC).
Once you have completed an approved qualification and registered with the HPC as a paramedic, you will need to continue to keep your skills and knowledge up to date. The College of Paramedics (CoP) provides information on continuing professional development (CPD) for members, which meets the HPC's requirements for renewing registration.
SkillsAndKnowledgeDesc
Skills and knowledge
To become and ambulance paramedic, you will need to have:
- a genuine desire to help and care for others
- an awareness of equality and diversity, and of the different needs of people in the community
- good spoken and written communication skills
- clear judgement and decision-making skills, even when faced with life and death situations
- practical skills and the ability to carry out emergency procedures
- good teamwork skills
- the ability to use your initiative and make decisions quickly
- leadership skills and a strong sense of responsibility
- the ability to manage, organise and respond to a changing workload
- physical and emotional stamina
- the ability to use communication and computerised systems
- a good understanding of patient confidentiality
- the ability to drive under emergency 'blue light' conditions.
MoreInformationDesc
More information
Health Professions Council 
Park House
184 Kennington Park Road
London
SE11 4BU
Tel: 020 7582 0866
www.hpc-uk.org
NHS Careers
PO Box 2311
Bristol
BS2 2ZX
Tel: 0345 60 60 655
www.nhscareers.nhs.uk
College of Paramedics
The Exchange
Express Park
Bristol Road
Bridgewater
TA6 4RR
Tel: 01278 420 014
www.collegeofparamedics.co.uk
Health Learning and Skills Advice Line
Tel: 08000 150850
OpportunitiesDesc
Opportunities
You will find most jobs within the NHS, although you could work in the armed forces or for private ambulance services.
With experience you could apply for development as a specialist paramedic - either as a paramedic practitioner or critical care paramedic. In these roles you would use advanced skills in injury assessment, diagnosis and wound care to provide immediate treatment.
You could work as a paramedic practitioner (PP). This would involve responding on your own to give emergency and non-emergency care to patients in the community and local minor injuries units. You could also work in primary care at GP surgeries and local health clinics, caring for patients in the surgery and visiting them at home.
To apply for any of the specialist paramedic posts, you will usually need around three years’ experience as a qualified paramedic. You would also usually be expected to have a degree, such as a BSc (Hons) in Paramedic Science, as well as additional training. You may also progress into areas such as operational management, education and training, research or human resources.
You may find the following useful for vacancies: (links open in new window)
Job profiles are based on the latest information supplied to us by industry bodies, such as Sector Skills Councils. Please be aware that with the introduction of the Qualifications and Credit Framework there has been, and will continue to be, changes to vocational qualifications. For more information, please check with industry bodies directly.
We do not accept responsibility for the content of external sites.
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Related industry information
Industry summary
The health sector is represented by Skills for Health Sector Skills Council, which comprises three sub‐sectors:
- National Health Service (NHS)
- Independent Healthcare Sector (such as private and charitable healthcare providers)
- Third Sector (healthcare) (such as small local community and voluntary groups, registered charities, foundations, trusts, social enterprises and co‐operatives)
The health sector is made up of hospitals, doctors’ surgeries, dental practices, the ambulance service, nursing homes, residential care homes, complementary medicine and a huge range of other health related activities, from sight tests in opticians to research in medical laboratories. Most people in the health sector work in the publicly funded National Health Service (NHS), which includes:
- primary care (organisations which the public goes to first) – Doctors/General Practitioners (GPs), NHS Walk in Centres, NHS Direct, Out of Hours Emergency Care
- secondary care (organisations which the public are referred onto) – Ambulance Trusts, NHS Trusts/hospitals, NHS Foundation Trusts/hospitals, Mental Health Trusts, Care Trusts (provide joint health and social care activities)
NHS policy in England is directed from the centre by the Department of Health. Local organisations, known as Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), are in charge of providing and commissioning services, controlling the majority of the budget. PCTs are overseen by 10 regional organisations called Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs).
The independent sector includes companies and charities that offer hospital and specialist services usually after referral from a doctor. Operations and other work are carried out in private hospitals, independent treatment centres, mental health units and hospices.
Key facts:
- The health sector is the largest employer in the UK, representing 5.5% of the working age population of the UK and 7.3% of the working age population that are currently in employment.
- It is estimated that the sector employs over 2 million people, including:
- over 1.5 million people in the NHS (72%)
- over 0.5 million people in the Independent Healthcare sector (26%)
- almost 40,000 in the voluntary sector (2%)
- 56% of the workforce has a higher education qualification (or equivalent).
- The age profile for the sector shows an older than average workforce, which is due in part to the fact that it takes some professions a long time to train and can mean that people enter the sector later.
There is a varied list of jobs in the sector ranging from a diverse number of clinical roles, to support and infrastructure staff, for instance: Allied Health Professionals (AHPs); Ambulance Staff; Dental Staff; Doctors/Medical staff; Nursing staff; Midwifery Staff; Healthcare Scientists; Health Informatics Staff; Management; Wider Healthcare Team; Complementary Therapists.
National and regional data
High proportions of the health sector workforce are located in:
- London
- South East
- North West
East Midlands - The health sector employs 131,515 people, which accounts for 7% of all employment in the region.
- The East Midlands employs 8% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 29% of all employment across the sector or 41,200 employees.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 133,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
East of England - The health sector employs 164,720 people, which accounts for 7% of all employment in the region.
- The East of England employs 9.8 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 30% of all employment across the sector or 52,300 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 14% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 103,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
London - The health sector employs over 249,524 people, which accounts for 6% of all the employment in the region.
- London employs 15% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 33% of all employment across the sector or 78,500 employees.
- Vacancies in health and social work account for 12% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 146,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
North East - The health sector employs 89,201 people, which accounts for 8.7% of all employment in the region.
- The North East employs 5.3 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 25% of all employment across the sector or 23,800 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 12% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be almost 46,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
North West - The health sector employs 251,960 people, which accounts for 8% of all employment in the region.
- The North West employs 15% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 23.5% of all employment across the sector or 59,200 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work account for 11% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 133,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
South East - The health sector employs 264,071 people, which accounts for 7.1% of all employment in the region.
- The South East employs 15.7% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 23.5% of all employment across the sector or 59,200 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 12% of all Industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 164,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
South West - The health sector employs 182,187 people, which accounts for 8.2% of all employment in the region.
- The South West employs 10.8 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 30% of all employment across the sector or 60,700 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 12% of all Industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 105,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
West Midlands - The health sector employs 168,746 people, which accounts for 7.2% of all employment in the region.
- The West Midlands employs 10% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 25% of all employment across the sector or 43,000 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 9% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 108,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
Yorkshire and the Humber - The health sector employs 182,848 people, which accounts for 8.2% of all employment in the region.
- Yorkshire and the Humber employ 10.9 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 24% of the total health care workforce or 42,000 employees.
- Vacancies in health and social work account for 11% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 97,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
Northern Ireland - The health sector employs 61,300 people.
- Northern Ireland employs 3% of the total health sector workforce.
- 81% of the workforce is female.
- 26% of the workforce is aged 35‐44 years.
- 96% of the workforce is white.
- 10% of the workforce reports a disability.
- 48% of the workforce is in Associate Professional and Technical occupations.
- 23% of organisations in the health and social work sector report vacancies.
Scotland - The health sector employs 201,500 people.
- Scotland employs 10% of the total health sector workforce.
- 78% of the workforce is female.
- 30% of the workforce is aged 45‐54 years.
- 95% of the workforce is white.
- 14% of the workforce reports a disability.
- 39% of the workforce is in Associate Professional and Technical occupations.
- 23% of organisations in the health and social work sector report vacancies.
Wales - The health sector employs 114,900 people.
- Wales employs 6% of the total health sector workforce.
- 74% of the workforce is female.
- 34% of the workforce is aged 45‐54 years.
- 94% of the workforce is white.
- 18% of the workforce reports a disability.
- 40% of the workforce is in Associate Professional and Technical occupations.
- 27% of organisations in the health and social work sector report vacancies.
[N.B. Data derived from Labour Force Survey, 2008‐2009, Annual Business Inquiry, 2007, and Northern Ireland Census of Employment, 2007]
Career paths
Further sources
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