Paramedic Council Elections 2024

South East

Samantha Barry

I would like to stand for member representative for Wales. I’ve been a registered paramedic since 2016 and a member of the college of paramedics since 2015 with experience in several healthcare settings including NHS ambulance trust, private sector and hospital settings. I have also acted as a liaison officer for the college of paramedics since 2019.

My current role with NHS Wales as a medical examiner officer frequently requires me to work collaboratively and communicate complex information with different health boards, agencies, and government offices to a wide range of clinicians and staff to senior management level. I have sought the agreement of the lead medical examiner officer for Wales regarding my interest in this post.

I am proud to be a paramedic and I am proud of our profession, where it has been and where we are going in the future thanks to the work of the college for continuing to strive for the recognition our profession deserves. I hold strong personal professional values and continue to maintain my professional development through a range of activities to ensure that I not only provide the best possible care for my patients but also as a representative of our profession, acting as a role model for my colleagues but also as a visible representation of our profession in the public eye.

Paramedics have so much to offer in the wider healthcare system and this is something that I would love to foster and encourage for the future whilst representing the members for Wales at the college and their interests whilst equally promoting the strategic aims and ethos of the college. I love to see people succeed and will often seek out opportunities to help others progress, I believe we are stronger when united and through sharing our experiences and knowledge we can all benefit which in turn facilitates our end goal of providing high quality care to our patients and presenting a skilled and professional profession to the public.

I am fortunate that my current role involves working across Wales and I have an established network of contacts in a range of settings requiring virtual meetings and conferencing on a regular basis. The regular hours and nature of my work will allow me to devote the time and effort needed to fulfil the duties of this role as set out by the college. 

I have several paramedic colleagues in support of me representing them, their interests, and the profession, to this end I am willing to work hard to meet their needs and those of the college of paramedics with tenacious enthusiasm with the mindfulness of the responsibility of holding a public office. We all have a responsibility as guardians of our profession that as it continues to grow and develop, that we are passing it to the next generation of paramedics in a better state than when we started. Safeguarding the future of our profession for years to come.

Over the past 7 years of being a paramedic, I have worked in a variety of positions: from moving to the UK as a HCPC registered international paramedic in 2016, to qualifying as a Specialist Paramedic in 2021, and moving into the academic world, where I am currently working as a Senior Lecturer. This has allowed me to work in a range of clinical settings, including frontline ambulance, telephone triage (111), general practice / primary care, and minor injury units.  Having experience in these separate areas allows me to understand the different knowledge and training needs, as well as staff wants and needs.  

In my current roles, I have taught a range and empowered a range of colleagues: clinicians, non-clinicians, and students, through both undergoing and teaching CPD. Due to this I want to help create and organise good-quality CPD events, in a range of settings (virtual, in-person) to suit all of our members – respecting diversity. Emotional and welfare support is vital for all staff, especially due to the current working conditions of long ramping and call delays. I want to see the college address this as well as create more local welfare events.  

I am extremely passionate about paramedic practice, in all areas. We are experienced and knowledgeable healthcare professionals and need to be recognised in these areas - #notallparamedicsweargreen. I would like to support COP to push more in alternative working areas to support paramedics working in all capacities – working in ways to improve and equalise paramedic roles – like prescribing controlled drugs, writing fit notes.  

I am an honest and open individual, who truly wants to help and work with my colleagues. I believe I show many of the COP values in my daily working life. Honesty especially is extremely important in any individual in a trusted position.  

I hope to be a good representative for the South East region. Please contact me for any advice or support I can offer.

Eastern 

Kevin Cowan

I have worked for the East of England Ambulance Service since 2001 in a variety of roles. I registered as a Paramedic in 2006 and have since then undertaken a variety of roles outside the core duties of a Paramedic mostly within the Education Piller. These have included Clinical Mentor, Field Operations Trainer and Education and Training Officer. Operationally I have been a Supervisor and LOM before moving into Training and Education in 2017. 

My current role is within the Clinical Practice specialist team for EEAST and as a link tutor with the University of Hertfordshire where I oversee around 75 BSc students’ placements during the academic year alongside supporting the academic team with OSCES, placement briefings / de briefings and interviewing for new intakes. Alongside this I have been part of the Integrated Care Board for Herts and West Essex placement provision strategy. This has provided vital networking opportunities and shared learning opportunities from other healthcare partners. 

Throughout all this time I have been a College of Paramedic Liaison actively representing and promoting all aspects of the College. 

As paramedicine has grown education has grown with it, now enabling as wide variety of education opportunities both pre and post registration. I have a keen interest in education most notably pre and post registration and Practice Education (encompassing both clinical supervision and preceptorship), supporting all members in being able to access and develop education. 

My work within EEAST and specifically within the Hertfordshire and West Essex Sector has enabled the joining of operational management both local and senior leadership teams with Practice Educators and students both BSc and otherwise to enable a safe, proactive, and clinically sound education environment.  

One of the Articles for Association is promoting education and training in Paramedic Sciences and related areas within the profession; and encouraging and sharing good clinical practice and high standards of care through research and leadership. I am passionate about education and my roles within EEAST enables me to drive and develop education forward. 

We have a number of diverse roles and skill-sets within EEAST and networking to understand issues, as well as skill sets /ideas/solutions and development needs across members would enable the College to tailor Continual Professional Development directly towards member’s needs and push for change in a way that supports our members. 

Leadership is an important part of autonomous practice, and we need to be clear in our decisions but also where we can provide context and understanding, by linking in with members who are in management roles would provide vital opportunities for learning and also understanding their challenges / ideas and solutions to issues from a leadership perspective. 

It is essential that members voices are heard and listened to; as paramedicine develops and matures year on year and as the Eastern Representative, I would be able to provide communication between members and the College, discussing all aspects of Para medicine across EEAST. 

Benjamin Mudd

Dear reader, 

My name is Ben, I am a full member of the College of Paramedics. 

I have represented the interests of many people and groups over my career, from individual patient advocacy to writing about volunteering expeditions to refugee camps on behalf of aid agencies and their charges; I have given significant time to campaign to save the local A&E department on behalf of the catchment population and won a collective victory in doing so, and, I have set up and chaired East of England Ambulance Service’s LGBT staff Network earning praise from the national LGBT network for our improvements whilst doing so.  I have recently started a Master’s degree in Advanced Clinical Practice and am the course representative at the University of East Anglia. 

I attend and arrange meetings with peers and trainees in my current role for mentoring, managerial duties and, within my team, discussion about training and delegation. 

Prior to setting up the Trust’s LGBT staff network I had been involved in committee meetings on behalf of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity team where I developed skills in oratory and trust building allowed me to overcome small organisational inertias in order to achieve objectives.  I have maintained a progressive, positive and inclusive approach to all endeavours since and have found cooperation much easier to come by in order to task and finish. 

Over the years I have reached out to various stake holders such as Disability Aware campaign team, NEXUS (Cambridgeshire Police and Fire LGBT network), our local and sadly late MP Sir David Amess, my local council on matters of knife crime and more recently private organisations that operate excellent models of care on behalf of the NHS such as Specsavers who have agreed, in principle, to work with me to develop a training program for Advanced Clinical Practitioners in the Eastern region. 

I am constantly engaging in CPD of various types, not least an ongoing Master’s degree but just finished year two of a MSc in pre-hospital medicine at QMUL, I engage with e-learning a lot (ELFH, WHO and RCOGP) and I deliver CPD for ambulance staff in my ICB area.  

I see the work of the College as being vital in promoting and protecting the profession from without and within, we still have a legacy of cultural challenges to overcome, we still have high numbers of dissatisfied and despairing colleagues and not least a criminally high number of colleagues dealing with serious mental health/moral injuries. 

The things I love most about my profession are also the things that most people don’t really understand, so I would love to generate material changes to registration and regulation for Paramedic specialisms, Advanced Practice, current relationship with unregulated professions within our workplace; to celebrate the profession and by doing so educate and differentiate from other practitioners in the healthcare, AND, to get us named as a Royal College.   

I am hungry for a chance to become the role model I used to look up to. 

Thank you. 


Wales 

Keith Dorrington 

My journey in the Ambulance Service began over 20 years ago. Since then, I have not only gained extensive clinical experience but have also immersed myself in understanding the unique challenges and opportunities that define paramedicine in Wales. I have undertaken various roles within the Welsh Ambulance Service, from beginning my career on Patient Transport to now holding a national role as a clinical lead. This diverse background ensures that I understand the problems our clinicians face and can help ensure those aspiring to achieve their goals of being a paramedic can achieve that aim.  

My interest in becoming the Welsh Representative of the College of Paramedics lies an unwavering dedication to being a voice for all paramedics. My aim is to ensure that our collective insights, concerns, and aspirations are not merely heard, but are a driving force in shaping the national narrative on pre-hospital care.  

The heart of paramedicine in Wales is rich with varied experiences, from the diverse landscapes in which we operate from cities to the remote landscapes of our countryside. Each setting brings its unique challenges and triumphs, painting a comprehensive picture of what it means to deliver paramedicine within Wales.  

Representation on the national stage is not just about voicing concerns; it's about actively participating in the creation of solutions that address the unique needs of Welsh paramedics, and ensuing they are fed into the National direction of travel from a UK perspective. It involves working on national approaches that strengthen our profession and ensure that opportunities for development for all Paramedics within the UK are maximised, advocating for the integration of advanced technologies and practices, and ensuring that CPD opportunities reflect the realities of our work. 

I see this role as a platform to elevate the voices of my colleagues, to ensure that our collective experiences, challenges, and insights are not only heard but are pivotal in shaping the future of paramedicine in Wales. My commitment is to bridge gaps—not just in healthcare delivery, but between paramedics and the myriad opportunities for professional growth, recognition, and support. Our profession has changed considerably since its formation, as we go from strength to strength it is vital, we consider inclusion in our recruitment and training to open doors and remove barriers that once existed. 

I believe at times that actin with honesty and integrity are crucial traits, I actively seek out diverse perspectives and information to ensure that my decisions are objective and in the best interest of the public. I lead by example, demonstrating these principles in my own conduct and actively promoting them within my organisation. I am committed to fostering a culture of ethical behaviour and accountability, challenging unethical conduct wherever it may arise. 

I am an Advanced Paramedic in the North West Ambulance Service and currently in the last month of my Masters in Advanced Clinical Practice with Bolton University.

I have been a Paramedic since 2012 after studying Paramedic Science at the University of Portsmouth. Over the last 11 years I have worked in the North West Ambulance Service, spending 3 years as a Paramedic in Central Manchester. Before being promoted to Senior Paramedic and spending 3 years in North Manchester. I am currently in my 4th Year as an Advanced Paramedic working in South Manchester in the city of Stockport.

I have undertaken various roles in my career from special operations, operational commander and senior clinical positions. I have worked in primary care seconded to GP practices. I also work part time as the clinical lead for Hatzola Manchester which is a private volunteer ambulance service that operates in Manchester. As part of my work with Hatzola I recently presented at the College of Paramedics national conference on their transformation success story.

I am a strong advocate for all things Paramedicine and the roles we play in healthcare. I firmly believe in developing the opportunities available for paramedics. Promoting the College of Paramedics and the work they do representing the profession. I would like to be considered for the position of NW Rep as I feel I have a range of experiences that allow me to understand the working lives of Paramedics from different sectors of the industry. I also believe I have adequate experience in both internal and external engagement with other services that I would be able to put that knowledge to good use on behalf of the profession.