Supriya Ghosh (Editor)

College of Paramedics

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
Founded
  
2001 (2001)

Country
  
United Kingdom

Members
  
3,700 (2013)

Key people
  
Chair: Prof. Andy Newton QAM, PhD Deputy-Chair: John Martin

Office location
  
The Exchange, Express Park, Bristol Road, Bridgwater. TA6 4RR UK

Website
  
www.collegeofparamedics.co.uk

The College of Paramedics is the independent professional body for paramedics in the United Kingdom. The role of the College is to promote and develop the Paramedic profession across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Contents

The College represents the Paramedic profession across key organisations such as the UK regulator - Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), the Department of Health and the Joint Royal Colleges Ambulance Liaison Committee (JRCALC).

History

Paramedicine in the UK began with regional schemes in the 1970s and the introduction of a national course in 1985 for 'extended care ambulance staff.' The introduction of professional registration of paramedics in 2000 led to a demand for the formation of a new professional body.

Paramedics were the only professional group in the initial registration to not have representation by a central body. Two members of staff from the then Essex Ambulance Service (Stephen Dolphin and Richard Lane) established a professional association to represent the paramedic profession and undertake the self-regulation of paramedic standards and education required by the HPC. The name of British Paramedic Association (BPA) was agreed at an inaugural meeting held at AMBEX in 2001.

In 2009 its name was changed to the College of Paramedics. This reflected the association's ambitions to be not only the professional voice of pre-hospital ambulance clinicians, but as the driving authority for increasing sections of pre-hospital clinical care education, training, proficiency and continuous professional development.

In October 2013 the college had a membership around 3,700 - around 19% of registered UK Paramedics.

In November 2015 the college announced that they had been awarded registered charity status.

College goverenance

The College of Paramedics is structured around a membership elected Governing Council of peers, supported by a Council appointed Executive. To act as a conduit for information, regional groups were developed to support members, governed by the Regional Council member.

Membership

There are three levels of membership available within the College of Paramedics:

  • Full – available to Paramedics (registered with the HCPC).
  • Student – available to those who are currently undertaking a Health and Care Professions Council approved course leading to eligibility to apply to the register.
  • Associate – available to anyone interested and / or involved Paramedic practice.

    • Post-Numeral and Fellowships

    The College of Paramedics authorises the use of the following post-nominals by members:

  • MCPara - Member of the College of Paramedics
  • FCPara - Fellow of the College of Paramedics. The title of Fellow of the College of Paramedics is awarded to Paramedics who have made outstanding contributions to either the development of Paramedic education, improving professional practice, or outstanding contributions towards the objectives of the College of Paramedics.

    • Member Training

    Whilst the College has organised many educational events in the past, it launched its first full programme of continuing professional development events in 2011. These events are held throughout the UK and assist its members to maintain and develop their professional skills and knowledge.

    The College is currently working closely with a number of stakeholders, including Health Education England, to provide a framework for the development of the profession, including post graduate specialist and advanced practice; there is a pilot specialist practice in primary care joint examination with the Royal College of General Practitioners. There is currently work ongoing to examine the possibility of Independent Prescribing for paramedics within England with NHS England.

    Publications

    The college has published policy, including;

  • A Curriculum Framework for Ambulance Education (2006) (newer versions have been produced but are not open access or freely available to the public)
  • Position statement on intubation (2008)
  • Annual Reports
  • Administration of drugs by Paramedics and Student Paramedics (2011)

    • The College of Paramedics are active participants of a range of groups, including the Joint Royal College Ambulance Liaison Committee and the AACE Clinical Practice Guidelines. The College is also a member of the Royal College of Physicians hosted Intercollegiate Stroke Working Party and Guidelines Development Group, leading the pre-hospital guidelines development sub-group. The College has been the key partner in the development of the Professional Guidance on the Content of Ambulance Clinical Records.

    Representation

    The College represents the views and interests of the paramedic profession on various groups:

  • Higher Education Ambulance Development Group (HEADG)
  • National Heads of Ambulance Education Group
  • Joint Royal College Ambulance Liaison Committee (JRCALC)
  • JRCALC Clinical Guidelines Group
  • UK Stroke Forum
  • Allied Health Professions Federation (AHPF)
  • Department of Health
  • Ambulance Workforce Forum
  • Connecting for Health (CfH)
  • National Ambulance Education & Development Forum
  • Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine
  • Ambulance Infection Control Group
  • Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
  • The Trauma Care Council
  • The National Ambulance Research Steering Group
  • The Faculty of Pre-hospital Care (RCSEd) Board
  • The 999 EMS Research Forum Board
  • Cardiovascular, Stroke and Vascular Specialist Collections of NHS Evidence (formerly the National Electronic Library for Health)
  • United Kingdom Pre-hospital Sepsis Working Party (Surviving Sepsis campaign)
  • National Governance Group for NHS Pathways
  • 999 EMS Research Forum Board
  • Faculty of Pre-hospital Care (RCSEd)
  • Curriculum Advisory Group to the Inter-collegiate Board for the sub-speciality of pre-hospital care

    • References

    College of Paramedics Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA