There is governance role too, media and press work and an important organisational and strategy development responsibility too. I write formal responses, position statements and consultation submissions made by the College of Paramedics on subjects and issues related to professional standards. I take an active role in some of the key events in the College of Paramedics calendar, including the National Conference and the Emergency Services Show, and I always enjoy talking to new students about the College every year during their University Induction week. Although at a time when the organisation and profession is still developing there is certainly a need to remain flexible.
How did you get into your role?
I qualified as an IHCD paramedic in 2003 and then after several years went onto clinical educator and clinical supervisor positions for the Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS). In 2008 I became an Associate Lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University, a role that I still thoroughly enjoy doing today. During this early stage of my career, I decided to self-fund a BSc in Health Studies with the Open University and grabbed the opportunity when it was offered by YAS to join the Foundation Degree programme in Paramedic Science with Teesside University. I completed both in 2011. Also in 2011, I took on the voluntary position of Yorkshire Representative for the College of Paramedics. In 2010 the shift within ambulance services towards referring patients to other healthcare professionals had begun and I was excited by a move to a Clinical Pathways role in YAS, implementing new care pathways, for example end of life, mental health and alcohol support services.
During this time I was lucky enough to secure a place on the 2011/12 National Leadership Academy Clinical Leaders Fellowship programme where I completed a Post Graduate Certificate in Service Improvement co-facilitated by Manchester Business School and The King’s Fund. I was then successful in securing the role of Clinical Development Manager for YAS in 2012 and went on to complete an MSc in Leadership, Management and Change at Bradford University in 2016.
In 2016 the College of Paramedics advertised for the role of Executive Officer, with support from YAS I moved to the College on a secondment basis for two years. During this, the College continued to grow as an organisation and needed to expand its capacity to meet the needs of an increasing membership. As part of this growth the College advertised for the new post of Head of Professional Standards. I left my substantive role with YAS in 2018 to take on this role.
What do you think is the most important benefit of being a member of the College of Paramedics, and why?
I joined my professional body, the British Paramedic Association not long after qualifying in 2004 without a second thought. The name change to the College of Paramedics came shortly after and cemented my commitment to the organisation and my profession. For me, becoming a registered healthcare professional was a complete privilege and a hugely proud moment. Becoming a member of my professional body, was very simply the most natural thing to do and did not require any contemplation.
Paramedic clinical practice has been historically led by doctors and the professionalisation of paramedics has been historically hindered by the Ambulance Services. The College of Paramedics has always stood for, and pushed for, something different. A new way that many paramedics from my generation have dreamt of for years and have now witnessed arrive. The benefit of being a member of the College of Paramedics is that it enables the paramedic profession to stand together, as equals alongside other healthcare colleagues and Colleges, and to have a louder and stronger voice on the issues that matter most to us, whenever and wherever that voice is needed.