The College is pleased to welcome a new initiative from Health Education England (HEE). Paramedics in Primary Care (PiPC) is a project which started in October 2018. Twenty-five trainees are currently on the programme, which takes paramedics on a 3 year postgraduate journey to be able to work in a primary care role.
In order to undertake PiPC, trainees elect to reduce their contracted hours with their prime employer which is often (but not always) an ambulance service. This allows them one day per week in practice placement at a GP surgery, plus a nominal one day per week for their Masters academic work. The programme uses local supporting roles (Clinical Fellow and Education Coordinator) and a bespoke e-portfolio by Clarity Informatics. Feedback so far has been overwhelmingly positive from GPs and students alike. HEE has plans to expand PiPC through several Training Hubs across England later this year.