Paramedics are registered emergency healthcare professionals.
Our paramedics are registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and are issued with a personal identification number. This number can be checked via the HCPC website.
All paramedics in the UK must be registered to operate legally as the word 'paramedic' is a protected title.
Paramedics are normally supported by emergency medical technicians as their effectiveness as a lone medic could be limited.
To effectively manage a seriously ill or injured patient the paramedic must
- carry or have immediate access to a defibrillator
- carry or have immediate access to medical oxygen / entonox
- be able to maintain an airway with advanced airway management equipment
- be able to establish intravenous access via a cannulation kit
- have access to intravenous fluids to maintain blood pressures
- have access to intravenous and other drugs (JRCALC) to treat a variety of medical emergencies
Without these vital elements the individual is either unlawfully acting as a paramedic or their skills could not be effectively used to help save lives.
Not all voluntary or private ambulance providers are paramedics, in fact only a minority are able to attract these professionals and equip them to standards required to carry out their role.