Ambulance care assistant job

Ambulance care assistants are members of a team that operates under the auspices of the Patient Transport Service and is responsible for the care and safe transportation of patients in non-urgent circumstances (PTS). They pick up and deliver patients who are scheduled to visit outpatient clinics and day care facilities.

The Work Being Done

It's possible that:

transporting patients from their homes and providing assistance to them whenever it's required

providing transportation for patients to their scheduled appointments at the clinics and hospitals

patients are moved from one hospital to another.

making certain that patients are always provided with comfort and safety as a top priority

cleaning the ambulance, ensuring that all patient equipment is functioning properly, and replenishing supplies

doing routine maintenance on the ambulance, including checking the tyres, gasoline, oil, and water each day

where necessary, providing first aid in accordance with the level of training acquired

completing a patient report form in the event that an emergency call resulted in the administration of oxygen or first assistance.

Pay

Workers in the ambulance service who are employed by the NHS are compensated according to the Agenda for Change scales. The most recent revisions to the wage scale were made in April of 2021. The annual salary for ambulance care assistants begins at £17,704 and increases to between £21,709 and £23,603 after completing the required 20 weeks of training.

Conditions

Although the hospital or the ambulance station would serve as your home base, you would spend the most of your time traveling in the vehicle.

You would put in a full week's worth of hours every week, including on the weekends.

Because the task might be strenuous on the body, you should strive to maintain a high level of physical fitness.

You may have to go over a vast geographical region and must go out in all kinds of weather.

You would be required to wear a uniform, as well as other forms of safety apparel, such as a high visibility jacket, on occasion.

Getting In

There are no official entrance criteria; nevertheless, those with a National 4 in both English and Math will have an advantage.

The entrance examination for the Scottish Ambulance Service consists of a physical fitness test as well as a screening for occupational health, and all candidates are required to pass it.

You are need to possess a valid driving license in the United Kingdom that includes the D1 category. You cannot have more than three points deducted from your total.

Gaining experience in a profession that requires driving is beneficial.

There are programs available at a number of educational institutions that may help you become ready for a career in the armed forces or in the emergency services. These classes have no prerequisites or other formal criteria to enroll in them.

In order to demonstrate that you are appropriate for this kind of employment, Disclosure Scotland will conduct a criminal record check on you and demand that it be acceptable. Please get in touch with Disclosure Scotland for more information on the kind required.

MyJobsScotland is a website that lists available jobs in Scotland. Although the National Health Service (NHS) accounts for the vast majority of ambulance employment, positions may also be found in the military forces. There are a few private ambulance services operating in the United Kingdom, with one or two of them located in Scotland.

What are the Prerequisites?

You really ought to be:

capable of getting along with and communicating effectively with individuals of all ages and from all walks of life

kind and tolerant of my ignorance

dependable as well as accountable

ability to function well both within a group and on their own without constant supervision

flexible and fast to think on one's feet

capable of making judgments and finding solutions to difficulties

capable of functioning effectively even while under duress

capable of maintaining order and organization while adhering to a plan.

Training

The training lasts for around four months, and it starts out with a clinical program that lasts for four weeks. This includes a one-week driving program in addition to the three weeks of classroom instruction.

Classroom instruction often covers things like advanced safe driving methods, manual handling, first aid, and patient care.

If you are going to be dealing with priority patients, such as those suffering from cancer, cardiovascular disease, mental illness, or renal disease, you will undergo extra training.

You will be awarded the Certificate for Ambulance Patient Care: Non-urgent Care Services at SCQF Level 6 after you have successfully completed the program.

Getting a Grip

It is possible for an ambulance care assistant to further their career and become an ambulance technician by completing additional training.

After gaining some experience and completing more training, you would be qualified to submit an application for a student paramedic post.

If you do a good job as PTS team leader, you might be promoted to the supervisor level.

Additional Information

Because of its location, the Scottish Ambulance Academy provides its workers with the chance to train along with their counterparts in the police and fire services, for instance, in realistic instances of road traffic accidents.