Paramedics are often required rapidly to form a team in a high stakes situation such as response to a cardiac arrest. The team may include those we have never before worked with, or even those we would rather not work with…but to achieve a good outcome for the patient, we must work through the challenges and be the best team we can be. The College of Paramedics, in collaboration with e-Learning for Healthcare and Dynamic Business services, has created a unique e-learning session which allows you to immerse yourself in the dynamics of a team coming together to manage a sudden cardiac arrest, overcoming differences and distractions to work together effectively. 
 
Human factors: Management of a Sudden Cardiac Arrest is available now at https://portal.e-lfh.org.uk/Component/Details/844116. It can be worked through on any computer or mobile device, or as a fully immersive experience, if you have access to a virtual reality headset.

If you are new to e-Learning for Healthcare, create your account here http://support.e-lfh.org.uk/get-started/registration. If you do not have one of the recognised email suffixes such as .nhs.uk or .ac.uk, please see guidance here on how College Members can create an account. If you need further support please email education@collegeofparamedics.co.uk  

The College of Paramedics has today signed the Armed Forces Covenant at the Military Paramedics Symposium, held at Defence Medical Services (DMS) Whittington, Staffordshire.
 
The event was attended by guests including Lewis Andrews, Chief Operating Officer for the College of Paramedics, Sarah Hayward, Paramedic Defence Specialist Advisor on behalf of the Armed Forces and Ben Lyon who instigated the signing in his role as the College’s Member Representative for Military and Overseas. 

The Armed Forces Covenant embodies a promise to uphold fairness and respect for those who have served in the Armed Forces, as well as their families, in all aspects of society. 

It focuses on helping members of the Armed Forces community have the same support as any other citizen, spanning education, housing, careers, access to healthcare, financial assistance and more. 

By taking the significant step of signing the Covenant, the College of Paramedics has made a commitment to providing fair treatment for veterans, serving personnel, reservists and their families and to ensure that they are treated with fairness and respect in their communities, workplace and society for which they serve with their lives. 

The Covenant’s core principles recognise the unique obligations and sacrifices made by the Armed Forces. 

At today’s signing, the College made a number of pledges, including to: 

Prioritise the mental health and well-being of Armed Forces personnel, veterans, and their families. 

Support all members of the Armed Forces community and their families where appropriate with employment opportunities, signpost and offer advice to personnel who are
transitioning from full time service into the civilian sector and collaborate with Reserve organisations to aid the employability of our members. 

Provide advice and advocate for Armed Forces personnel, veterans and their familiars on how to progress within the paramedic profession and assist with helping individuals reach their career goals. 

Lewis Andrews, Chief Operating Officer for the College of Paramedics said: “We are immensely proud to have signed the Armed Forces Covenant today. As an organisation, the College recognises the sacrifices made by those in the Armed Forces and the immeasurable value military personnel, reservists, veterans, and their families bring to the healthcare profession and to the wider country. It’s the reason we are committed to ensuring their needs are recognised and met when it comes to healthcare, mental health support, employment opportunities, education and representation. We will always strive to do everything we can for our Armed Forces community, knowing this is what they do for us.” 

Speaking on behalf of the Armed Forces, Sarah Hayward, Paramedic Defence Specialist Advisor said: “The aim of both the DMS and the College of Paramedics is to deliver the highest level of healthcare to our service users. Today’s pledge from the College allows us to feel valued and recognised in the unique working environments we find ourselves in. This enables our people to feel validated as paramedics, and nurtures interoperability, shared ways of working and inclusion in the progression and development of healthcare delivery. A shared mental model allows reassurance that we are seen and supported. It will only serve to strengthen the relationship between the DMS and the College of Paramedics and will have a positive impact on the delivery of care throughout Defence and beyond.” 

Ben Lyon, College of Paramedics’ Member Representative for Military and Overseas said: “I’m delighted that the College has signed the Covenant because it shows to all serving members of the Armed Forces, paramedic or not, that the College, as an organisation proactively considers the military community in its day-to-day business. It is also a legally recognised commitment that we have to maintain.” 

Ben added: “From a personal point of view, I am really proud of my involvement in helping to make this happen. As the first Royal Marine to hold the post of Military and Overseas Rep I wanted to do something that would make a significant and lasting difference, not only for the College but for all serving and future military paramedics, and I think this commitment does that.” 

Since 2011, when the concept was enshrined into law, the Covenant has reinforced the moral obligation between nation, government and the Armed Forces and seen more than 12,000 UK businesses and organisations commit to improving the lives of service personnel and their families.

The College of Paramedics would like to offer its warmest congratulations to three of our members – Jo Mildenhall, Ashley Hanson and Vinny Romano - who each received the prestigious Churchill Fellowship medallion at an awards ceremony in London last week.



A Churchill Fellowship is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, open to all UK adult citizens, to lead the change they want to see. The charity funds applicants to spend between four to eight weeks meeting experts in their field anywhere in the world, in person and/or online, building international networks that promote reciprocal knowledge exchange. It then helps Fellows to make a difference in their community or professional sector in the UK, based on insights inspired by these exchanges. 

A community of over 4,000 change-makers, Churchill Fellows work on the frontline of today’s crucial issues, developing new solutions based on global research and personal expertise. From every corner of all four nations, Churchill Fellows have achieved amazing things, from becoming community leaders and charity founders to embedding new services and campaigning for action in fields from climate change to education, technology to the arts.

Jeremy Soames, grandson of the late Sir Winston Churchill and Chair of the Churchill Fellowship, said: "We were delighted to celebrate the outstanding achievements of Churchill Fellows at our 2024 Award Ceremony. The occasion marked the successful completion of 122 Fellows' international research and reports, forming an impressively substantial body of work. More importantly, it illustrates the significant impact being made in communities and sectors through the ideas, dedication, and energy that are hallmarks of every Churchill Fellow - many congratulations to all recipients. There is no doubt that the Churchill Fellowship owes its success to the remarkable work of Churchill Fellows."

Here, Jo, Ashley and Vinny tell us how they became Churchill Fellows and what it means to them. 

Jo Mildenhall, Paramedic Psychological Health & Wellbeing Manager for the College of Paramedics

Why you were given a Churchill Fellowship? My passion and advocation for ambulance staff and paramedic psychological wellbeing started 25 years ago when, after one particular incident - a rail crash – I became aware that there was little to no understanding of the psychological impact that working within the field of paramedicine can have, particularly after attending a critical incident such as this. Fast forward two decades, and we still face many challenges in terms of the psychological health of ambulance personnel. My strong passion for improving psychological welfare and support for ambulance staff has continued, however, and I applied for this Fellowship to learn from countries which are considered world-leading in this area. Considerable research has, and continues to be, undertaken within Australia and New Zealand to explore and understand our psychological being within the context of emergency occupations and I wanted to learn from their expertise and from the evidence-based strategies and policies that have been implemented and how this has translated into real-world practice, interventions and supports. Fortunately, after a tough application process, I was over the moon to be awarded a Churchill Fellowship to enable this research trip to occur. 

The work you did to achieve it: I visited Australia and New Zealand for two months, travelling around both countries to meet with colleagues from ambulance services, responder mental health charities, universities, policing, and our colleagues at the Australasian College of Paramedicine to find out more about how ambulance staff and paramedics are supported with their psychological wellbeing in terms of informal supports, peer support, clinical psychology, and wellbeing policy. I was very fortunate to be able to spend time, not only with senior leaders and academics but also experts by experience - our colleagues working on the frontline. I even undertook a few third manning shifts in Auckland and Melbourne!

What does the Churchill Fellowship mean to you? Being awarded a Churchill Fellowship is a huge privilege; a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to travel to explore and learn from leading experts about an area that you are so passionate about. Now that this part of my fellowship is complete, I feel proud to be able to call myself a Churchill Fellow and know that I am part of a community of inspiring change-makers. 

Ashley Hanson, Senior Clinical Research Practitioner, Royal Devon University Hospitals NHS FT - Northen Services

Why were you given a Churchill Fellowship? At the time I applied for the Fellowship I was a lecturer at Canterbury Christ Church University in Medway. As my students approached graduation, they all found that there was a 'gap' between their time as a student and their role as a practising paramedic and for many, this instilled a sense of panic and anxiety. For a lot of students, this sensation has only been heightened in recent times because of the pandemic. The purpose of my Fellowship was to investigate ways to 'close' this gap, to ensure that the future paramedics we bring into the workforce are set up to achieve and excel in their chosen careers, and that our curriculum is aligned to the needs of the changing pre-hospital workforce. 

The work you did to achieve it: I travelled to Australia for eight weeks to investigate some of the work-readiness initiatives in place to support students transitioning to newly qualified paramedics and to see if some of these changes could be brought back to the UK to be implemented.

What does the Churchill Fellowship mean to you? It’s an opportunity to share something I am passionate about with like-minded individuals on the other side of the planet. The power of "chance encounters" and the doors that opened up as a result of being a Fellow were amazing.

Vinny Romano, Consultant Paramedic for Education at North West Ambulance Service and Director for TRiM Training and Consultancy

Why were you given a Churchill Fellowship? In 2016, I began to recognise the lack of mental health support available to frontline emergency workers in the ambulance service following attendance at a difficult incident. I had a number of close colleagues die due to suicide and others who had to leave the service due to the effect on their mental health. This prompted me to embark on a journey of research to seek out options available to provide mental health support. 

The work you did to achieve it: Having seen the importance of supporting emergency workers, I was keen to ensure an awareness of the different strategies used. To make the most of my Fellowship I travelled to the USA, as the way their emergency ambulance service is organised means you can visit a number of different organisations in a small area. I split my trip into two legs – East and West Coast of America - in order to visit the maximum number of areas. I worked and met with a number of private and public ambulance providers, Fire Departments, and universities to discuss how responders are supported following their attendance at critical incidents. The Churchill Fellowship allowed me to meet and work with responders who wouldn't normally be accessible and have honest conversations about their mental health and wellbeing. I also witnessed different tools being used and have since shared these ideas with UK stakeholders within the ambulance world.

What does the Churchill Fellowship mean to you? I spent a great deal of time producing my report and it is very satisfying having now completed it. I will always have the report to look back fondly on as a record of my achievement. It was such an honour being invited to the awards ceremony in London and a real moment of personal pride receiving my medallion. 

** Applications to become a Churchill Fellow are now open until November 12, 2024. To find out more please go to The application form (churchillfellowship.org) Churchill Fellowships are open to all adult UK citizens, regardless of qualifications, background or age. 

The UK Government has published a report into the state of the NHS in England, commissioned by Wes Streeting when he became Secretary of State for Health and Social Care in July. The Independent Investigation of the National Health Service in England confirms that the NHS is in a "critical condition" – with growing waiting lists, missed targets for A&E and hospital treatments, and poor survival rates for cancer and heart disease. However, the report’s author, Lord Darzi stresses that "its vital signs are strong".  

The report blames the far-reaching consequences of under-investment throughout the 2010s and the long-term impacts of the 2012 Health and Social Care Act, described as “a calamity without international precedent”. 

Prime Minster Sir Keir Starmer has promised big reforms for the NHS with a new 10-year plan due to be published next spring which will focus on three big shifts: 

- From hospital care to community care 
- From analogue to digital  
- From treating sickness to preventing it 

Tracy Nicholls speaking for the College of Paramedics said:  

“We welcome this report which acknowledges the enormous issues facing the NHS, and support the drive to reform health services to meet patient needs, but this will only be achieved by understanding the impact paramedics and allied health professionals have in supporting people.... 

With 25 per cent of the paramedic workforce already specialising in clinical areas that will support the recovery of emergency and urgent care, such as frailty, end of life care, mental health, maternity, and public health. Paramedics are uniquely placed to work with a range of other allied health professionals to care for high-risk patients in the community who have been discharged, or to attend low-risk patients who they may be able to prevent from hospital admission. 

The College welcomes the move to a more digitally- enabled health and care service which will provide patients with more seamless treatments and care and will enable paramedics to better communicate with other healthcare providers, supporting safer patient care episodes. 

Paramedics are ideally placed to support a stronger population health approach to the public and often see those who fall through the gaps of other health and care services.  Working closely with GPs and community teams, paramedics will add value to the wider team and help to ensure patients can be held in their preferred places of care for longer, thereby reducing the demand placed on ambulance services and EDs currently. The College will continue to engage with decision-makers to ensure the skills and knowledge of Paramedics are recognised and utilised in the reform of health services.”  

Independent Investigation of the National Health Service in England (publishing.service.gov.uk) 

The College of Paramedics is drawing members’ attention to the recent changes to the Health and Care Professions Council's standards of conduct, performance and ethics.

In its latest update, the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), has updated six of its 10 standards which make up its ethical framework.

The HCPC has also released updated guidance on social media use with all changes coming into force from 1 September 2024.

The following standards have been updated:

• Promote and protect the interests of service users and carers
• Communicate appropriately and effectively
• Work within the limits of your knowledge and skills
• Manage risk
• Report concerns about safety 
• Be open when thing go wrong

Updates centre around five distinct themes - communication, duty of candour, upskilling and training responsibilities, managing existing health conditions and disabilities in the workplace, and equality, diversity and inclusion.

The College welcomes the following addition to standard 7 that requires registrants to report concerns about safety. Sub standard 7.5 says;

You must raise concerns regarding colleagues if you witness bullying, harassment or intimidation of a service user, carer or another colleague. This should be done following the relevant procedures within your practice or organisation and maintaining the safety of all involved.

The HCPC ethical framework outlines how registrants are expected to behave. The HCPC registers all 14 allied health professions, and paramedics must be registered with them in order to practise.

Responsibility lies with registrants 

Bernie O'Reilly, chief executive and registrar at the HCPC, emphasised that it is every registrant's responsibility to revise the new updated standards.

"It is every registrant’s responsibility to make sure they are familiar with the changes to the standards and guidance on social media and continue to meet them," he said. "We have worked closely with stakeholders, such as yourself, in both the development of the standards and guidance, and in the promotion of the changes to registrants."

"We would urge everyone to make sure that their members or colleagues are aware of the updates, and thereby help us embed these revised standards."

The HCPC has published resources regarding the changes on its website, which you can access here.

"The revisions make the standards clearer and more relevant to current practice," Mr O'Reilly continued. "I have no doubt that they will support all our registrants, to conduct themselves with professionalism and pride every day."

NHS England have today announced the launch of new telephone mental health support available via NHS 111. The College welcomes this single point of access support from trained mental health professionals for those experiencing mental health crisis. However, we believe that further funding and investment into welfare and psychological services are vital to ensure timely specialist mental health care is available to all patients who need it.

Daren Mochrie QAM, Chair of the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE) and Chief Executive Officer of North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust, will be leaving both roles to take up a new high-profile senior ambulance role abroad in December 2024. 

Anna Parry, Managing Director of AACE said: “Daren assumed the AACE chair role in August 2020 at a particularly challenging time for ambulance services with the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic and the high-profile performance pressures that continue to be exacerbated by hospital handover delays. In addition, he had to lead the sector through widespread NHS industrial action including within ambulance services. During this time, he has been an inspirational leader playing a key role in the ongoing development of AACE, ensuring the voice of the ambulance sector is clearly heard in the media, and engaging with the most senior stakeholders, including government ministers and organisations such as the Royal Foundation. We are extremely grateful for the commitment he has shown in the AACE chair role and wish Daren all the very best for the next exciting chapter in his career.”
 
Outgoing AACE Chair Daren Mochrie QAM said: “I joined the NHS at sixteen years old and have given over 36 years of service, 33 of which have been in the ambulance sector, but never in my wildest dreams did I think I would leave the UK NHS as chief executive officer of North West Ambulance Service and chair of AACE. It has been a privilege to lead AACE and I will leave with mixed emotions, but it feels like the right time to go and explore new opportunities for myself and my family and to leave NWAS and AACE in the best possible shape.” 

AACE will now begin work to identify a suitable successor via its standard chair election process and will ensure a smooth transition to the new arrangements. 

Yesterday, Tracy Nicholls, Chief Executive, and Mandy Powell, Policy & Public Affairs Manager, met with Mike Nesbitt, Minister for Health, Northern Ireland to discuss Paramedics in Northern Ireland and the role the profession can have in supporting plans to support the recovery of Health services aligning to his initiatives and vision for the future of health and social care across Northern Ireland. Tracy said “The Minister was very generous with his time and we covered a lot of ground on the opportunity for paramedics to contribute to the future of the recovery and transformation aligned to his vision.” 

The meeting was part of our policy engagement work, which included meetings with our Paramedic Council Rep in Northern Ireland, Jacqueline O'Neill, the Chief Allied Health Professions Officer in Northern Ireland, Michelle Tennyson, and visits to Antrim and Ballymena Ambulance Stations.  Thank you to everyone who turned up to share their experiences and to James and Damien for their expert facilitation.