12.04.13
Assisting or replacing?
Is the proposed introduction of emergency care assistants at Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust a way of saving money that jeopardises patient safety?
Union members certainly think so, and are threatening further industrial action if talks are not met with a response.
The length of training time for the new role has also been criticised, and the union is warning that experienced paramedics should not be replaced with the cheaper assistants.
The debate mirrors recent discussion over the distinction between healthcare assistants and nurses, whose roles are increasingly overlapping, with concerns over appropriate training for more clinical tasks.
There is nothing inherently wrong with healthcare assistants of any kind supporting the work of highly trained professionals. But trusts must be careful to ensure that this is never at the expense of patient safety.
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