London Ambulance Service (LAS) and South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) have collaborated with Buckinghamshire New University (BNU) to launch a new BSc (Hons) Paramedic Science degree at their university.
The degree will take 3 years to complete and will be taught at the University’s High Wycombe and Uxbridge campuses. It is thought to help support workforce development in the Thames Valley and London regions.
Health Education England have invested a £100k development funding, as well as the university supporting the programme with a capital investment.
SCAS and LAS will support placements for students in order to help meet the strategic national workforce development priorities for this sector.
Programme lead, Associate Professor of Paramedic Science, Will Broughton, who recently joined the university, said: “Paramedics have been front and centre in our response to the Covid-19 pandemic and we need to continue to grow this critical part of the health and social care workforce.
“We are very excited to be welcoming our first cohort of student paramedics to High Wycombe in September 2021, who will be undertaking frontline ambulance placements with South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust.
“By partnering with two NHS ambulance services, as well as acute and community health and social care providers, we are providing students with excellent opportunities to gain clinical experience and core capabilities prior to joining the workforce on completion of their studies.”
Student paramedics will begin their course at the Uxbridge campus in February 2022, starting their clinical placements at London Ambulance Service NHS Trust.
Dr John Martin, Chief Paramedic and Quality Officer for London Ambulance Service, said: “Gaining experience on the frontline whilst studying to become a paramedic is so invaluable, and a great way to put theory into practice.
“We’re looking forward to supporting students from Buckinghamshire New University when they start in February 2022 and providing placements to enable them to become great paramedics.”
One of the key components on the programme will be simulated patient encounters, and two fully functional simulation ambulances to support their learning and teaching experience.
This will also include the existing simulation provision at both the High Wycombe and Uxbridge campuses, as well as ensuring students have access to the latest patient simulators, and clinical equipment to support their learning and teaching experience.
HEE Regional Head of Allied Health Professions, Rebecca Tyrrell, said: “We are delighted that the strategic development funding has enabled BNU to provide a new paramedic Science programme and support such valuable growth in paramedics required within our region. We should also like to thank all our stakeholders in supporting the expansion of quality learning environments for the new cohorts of paramedic learners.”
