First on the Scene

It might sound like an episode of Casualty being filmed but, in fact, it is one of Edge Hill University’s unique ‘major incident days’ – perfectly staged learning simulations which form part of the new DipHE in Paramedic Practice.

This latest addition to the Faculty of Health’s expanding portfolio of programmes begins in September and marks a turning point in the training and professional standing of paramedics.

“The major incident days are nothing new,” says Paul Wicker, Head of Perioperative Studies at Edge Hill and project leader for developing the new course. “We’ve run them for a while for our third-year Operating Department Practioner, Midwifery and Nursing students. But the addition of paramedics brings a new dimension to the event, making it more realistic and giving students the chance to interact with this group of professionals, as they would in a real emergency situation.

“Interprofessional working is an integral part of the emergency services, so we aim to train our paramedic students to deal competently with other practitioners and with patients while under extreme pressure. These learning experiences will help prepare students for life as a qualified paramedic.”
 
Paul explained: “Until now, paramedics were trained in-house by the British Paramedic Association (BPA) and received internally validated qualifications. However, the role has become increasingly complex over the past few years and it became clear that a more intensive training experience was required and Edge Hill was perfectly placed to provide that.”

Edge Hill is working in partnership with the Strategic Health Authority (SHA) and the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS), to provide paramedic training across Merseyside, Greater Manchester and Cumbria.

The two-year DipHE in Paramedic Practice has been developed in consultation with senior paramedics and aims to give students an intensive academic and clinical experience, as well as the skills needed to find a job and prepare themselves for employment in the future.

“The involvement of NWAS and the NHS was vital for ensuring the programme produces practitioners who are fit for practice and employable,” says Paul.

“The broadening role of the paramedic means that we need to focus not just on theory and clinical competencies, but on transferable skills such as communication, interpersonal relationships and patient-centred care. Students need to know how to break bad news to people, for example, or to calm people down in traumatic situations.”

Seth Crofts, Dean of the Faculty of Health, said: “The expansion of our portfolio to provide paramedic training is another step on our journey from a school of nursing to a fully rounded Faculty of Health.

“The University has already invested £14m in our new state-of-the-art building and we have clinical facilities that are second to none. The contract to provide paramedic training has allowed us to upgrade those facilities further to ensure all of our health students can benefit from world-class learning.”

The Path to Professionalism

The introduction of the DipHE in Paramedic Practice continues a trend to further accredit key roles within the health and education sectors.

The University now provides academic training and qualifications for Operating Department Practitioners, teaching assistants and playworkers – jobs which may previously have been perceived by some as supporting roles rather than professions in their own right.

Vice-Chancellor, John Cater, said: “We’re proud that Edge Hill has contributed to upgrading the skills, competencies and status of many health and education jobs. Improvements in quality within these sectors are high on the Government’s agenda and, as always, Edge Hill seeks to be at the forefront of these changes.

“We’re hopeful that the new degree for paramedics will open the door to extending our training portfolio to support in other professions such as the fire service, the police and customs and excise.”