![Ellis Mead](https://cdn.prgloo.com/media/7038190084964f959bc5e07883f08ee2.jpg?width=968&height=1452)
New apprenticeship promises paramedic career to more people
EMBARGOED: 00:01hrs Monday 8 February 2021
Despite the ongoing challenges posed by COVID, seven English ambulance trusts and one university have persisted in their vision to offer the first paramedic apprenticeship across England.
The BSc (Hons) Paramedic Science (Apprenticeship) Degree was devised by the University of Cumbria and will take just two years to complete, compared to three for a traditional degree in paramedic science.
The new apprenticeship programme will teach around 1000 paramedics over the first two years, significantly increasing the national paramedic workforce.
Seven out of 11 English ambulance service trusts have signed up so far: South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS), Isle of Wight Ambulance Service, South Western Ambulance Service Trust (SWASFT), South East Coast Ambulance Service, London Ambulance Service, North West Ambulance Service and East of England Ambulance Service.
The programme is open to existing ambulance service staff serving in patient-facing roles such as emergency care assistants, ambulance technicians and associate ambulance practitioners to develop their careers and become fully-qualified paramedics.
This means the highly respected profession will be open to people to continue to work on the front line while whilst gaining a full BSc (Hons) in Paramedic Practice, allowing each ambulance service to develop its staff and grow its own workforce.
Originally the intention was to offer recruits blended learning to allow them to continue their normal frontline roles while studying. This would involve a mixture of classroom and online learning, practical sessions, tutorials and non-ambulance placements.
Owing to the constrictions of COVID, some trusts are now inducting their cohorts in a staggered fashion over spring to ensure the safety of apprentices and support the continued operation of the vital emergency service they offer.
SCAS was the first trust to induct a cohort last October, with a second to follow on 8 February along with SWAST's first cohort, which coincides with national apprenticeship week.
Due to the pandemic the first ten days of teaching will all be online. This change was made practically overnight responding to the national lockdown announced in early January.
Tom Davidson, Director at Centre for Excellence in Paramedic Practice at the University of Cumbria said the quick turnaround was testament to the flexibility of the course.
“We’ve designed this apprenticeship so that it can react and flex to meet the needs of the ambulance trusts and this approach was put to the test recently when we converted the initial first few weeks’ training to be delivered fully online in response to safety concerns.
“But it’s a testament to everyone’s commitment that we could easily adapt the course and that we kept going despite the challenging and turbulent times we are operating in.”
He added that the scale of the apprenticeship will have a lasting impact on the nation’s paramedic workforce.
“We’re proud that this course supports any learner to realise their ambition to become a paramedic no matter their background or previous academic achievement and that we are helping the ambulance service to grow and retain a highly skilled workforce.”
The programme has been developed over the last two years, beginning before the pandemic hit. Ian Teague, Assistant Director of Education at SCAS, was one of the instigators of apprenticeship and is representative of the alliance of southern based ambulance service trusts.
He said: “South Central Ambulance Service is committed to the professional development of its staff and for many years we have provided programmes of education in partnership with universities to develop staff to become UK registered paramedics.
“The Paramedic Science (Apprenticeship) Degree is arguably one of the most exciting and innovative educational developments to be introduced into the profession and will secure the continued development of our own frontline operational staff to become registered paramedics, backed by a BSc (Hons) degree.
“We are incredibly proud to have been the first ambulance service in the country to have started this new degree programme with our partners at the University of Cumbria and it has quickly proven to be a popular career development route for those frontline members of our teams who want to combine studying whilst working as they develop their ambulance service career with SCAS. With one cohort of 23 students already enrolled in the degree programme in October last year, a second cohort will commence their studies during Apprenticeship Week.”
Ellis Mead is an emergency care assistant (ECA) for SCAS based at Oxford and is one of the new apprentices starting on 8 February.
Ellis (right) recently featured on ‘Inside the Ambulance’, a programme on the W Channel that follows ambulance crews from the South Central Ambulance Service in Portsmouth and Oxford as they carry out their duties.
Having grown up in the French Pyrenees, Ellis and his family moved back to the UK when he was 15-years-old. He dropped down a school year voluntarily to help him learn and improve his, at that time, very limited English, but understandably struggled and failed both his English and Maths GCSEs. He subsequently went to college and passed a public services course with a triple distinction.
“I had a variety of different jobs after college and it was working as a Special Constable, that I became interested in the ambulance service – having worked alongside them at incidents – and applied for an emergency care assistant role at SCAS”, says Ellis.
“Having researched the career opportunities before joining it was always my intention to become a paramedic. Whilst working for SCAS I took evening classes and passed my Maths and English GCSEs as a first step, but I couldn’t afford a full-time external degree course nor did I have the science qualifications necessary to apply either.”
“The Paramedic Science (Apprenticeship) Degree with University of Cumbria required two years’ experience as an ECA – which I have – and I had to complete a portfolio of work to be accepted. To have the opportunity to study whilst continuing to work means I can support my family and pay my bills – it’s perfect for me.”
SCAS and SWAST’s apprentices begin on 8 February. London and the North West, South East Coast, East of England and Isle of Wight are start their apprentices in March and April.
The university’s Centre for Excellence in Paramedic Practice is the principal provider for paramedic education in the UK. Based at The University of Cumbria it has over 1000 students currently studying currently on a mixture of both degree and professional qualifications.
ENDS
Ambulance trust quotes
Please refer to 'notes to editors' for quotes from the other ambulance trusts signed up to the apprenticeship programme.
Interviews
All interview requests for Ellis Mead and Ian Teague should be directed to David Gallagher, Media & Communications Manager, South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, M: 07824 476 521 and E:David.Gallagher@scas.nhs.uk.
All enquiries relating to the University of Cumbria should be directed to Frances McDarby, PR and social content officer, M: 07703 187 977, E: frances.mcdarby@cumbria.ac.uk
Pictured: Ellis Mead, SCAS
Tom Davidson, Director at Centre for Excellence in Paramedic Practice, the University of Cumbria
Ian Teague, Assistant Director of Education at SCAS
Notes to editors
Additional partner quotes
South Western Ambulance Service Trust (SWASFT)
Paula Windsor, Interim Head of Education & Professional Development:
“We are extremely excited to be able to partner with Cumbria University to support this programme, offering an internal development pathway for our highly valued Emergency Care Assistants and Ambulance Practitioners. Working in strong collaboration with the seven Ambulance Service Trusts and Cumbria University, the students on this programme can be confident that the learning journey they are embarking on has been designed to work well within the setting in which they will continue to work.
“The uniqueness of this programme is that the students will be taught and supported by educators recruited from within SWASFT, and have education delivered from local and familiar training venues.
“We are very proud of all our people and are looking forward to the future of internal opportunities toward paramedic development to shape the future of the profession.”
South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAMB)
Neil Monery, a Senior Education Manager from SECAmb’s Clinical Education Department said: “We embrace innovation and work hard to offer our people a broad portfolio of professional development opportunities and career pathways so we’re delighted to announce our launch of the BSc (Hons) Paramedic Science (Apprenticeship) Degree, in association with the University of Cumbria. We’re sure this will prove to be a highly sought after course and look forward to welcoming our first cohort of students in April.”
Isle of Wight Ambulance Service (IOW)
A spokesperson said: "The Isle of Wight NHS Trust Ambulance Service is thrilled to be part of the Southern Ambulance Alliance embarking on Paramedic apprenticeships with the University of Cumbria. The programme provides a consistent collaborative approach, enabling a clear career progression route which is part of our ongoing staff development aspirations. It meets the educational needs of our future Paramedics and the clinical needs of our community."
London Ambulance Service (LAS)
Dr Fenella Wrigley, Chief Medical Officer at London Ambulance Service, said:
“We’re delighted to be partnering with the University of Cumbria on its Paramedic Science (Apprenticeship) degree.
“Being a paramedic in London offers unique and exciting opportunities and is very rewarding. This apprenticeship degree will give our patient-facing staff the chance to upskill while they continue to work on the frontline as they do now. Recruiting skilled paramedics in this way will also benefit our patients by helping us to deliver the best care possible.”
East of England Ambulance Service (EEAST)
Christopher McGregor, Head of Education at EEAST said: "We are committed to supporting the progression of the Paramedic profession and to encourage development in our workforce both clinically and academically. We are committed to being an exceptional place to work and learn and therefore are excited to be partnering with the University of Cumbria to deliver the Paramedic Degree Apprenticeship. This innovative new programme delivers a challenging academic programme encouraging a focus on evidence based practice alongside supportive clinical placement provisions. Our initial cohorts are due to commence in April 2021 with two further cohorts throughout the next year, these will support 90 of our clinician to develop their skills and provide care to our sickest patients."
North West Ambulance Service (NWAS)
Paula Davies, Head of Education for North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) said: “It’s fantastic that we’re able to launch National Apprenticeship Week with news of this degree.
“In spite of the challenges that COVID has thrown at us, we’ve been able to push through with this collaborative vision and have continually adapted to find ways to be able to deliver teaching and learning.
“This will give our existing emergency medical technician staff a new pathway to develop their careers as paramedics and also allow the trust to develop our workforce, and nurture and shape the talents we already have. I know that our first cohort of students can’t wait to get started.”