What is a paramedic?
Paramedics are qualified and regulated health professionals – who specialise in emergency treatment.
They are one of the key Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) in the NHS.
They evaluate people with illnesses or injuries, provide emergency medical care and help transport people to hospitals. They are a first responder – a trained health professional who goes to a scene where people need immediate help. They make vital decisions quickly and in high-stress situations.
They can work out of hospitals, or a general practice, or other settings.
The word ‘paramedic’ is a combination of two terms. ‘Para’ means next to, and ‘medic’ means doctor. So it means that paramedics work alongside doctors, though not always physically.
They can provide life-saving treatment for someone until they can get to a doctor. In this way, they are autonomous health practitioners as well.
Paramedic advanced clinical practitioners (ACPs)
Some paramedics become ACPs, after further training. These are autonomous clinicians who work in a variety of clinical settings and have an advanced skill set to assess, order and interpret diagnostic tests such as ECGs, bloods, x-rays and CT scans.
They use these to diagnose and manage patients that present with both acute and chronic injuries and illnesses.
Many paramedic advanced clinical practitioners are independent prescribers, meaning they can offer medications to patients that will help them to manage conditions themselves.
