South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust

Trainee Paramedic Pathway

The closing date is 20 May 2025

Job summary

Are you a dynamic, proactive, focused, caring individual aspiring to become a Paramedic?

South Central Ambulance Service is offering an exciting opportunity which provides an alternative route for you to gain your dream job and train to become a Health and Care professions Council (HCPC) registered Paramedic.

Successful candidates will undertake a 42-month programme incorporating 2 apprenticeships, supported in the clinical environment whilst earning a salary.

We are recruiting for our course starting on 29th September 2025 from our Newbury Education Centre.

We are expecting this programme to be very popular so please don't hesitate in submitting your application.

Due to the limited spaces available, this advert willclose early, once we have received a sufficient number of applications.

Any applications that have been started but not submitted, will unfortunately not be considered once the advert has closed.

As spaces are limited on our course, these will be allocated based upon the strongest interview scores and passing of our fitness assessment. We may hold a small reserve list for candidates in the event of any withdrawals.

We are recruiting for the following stations:

Stoke Mandeville, Wexham, High Wycombe, Adderbury, Oxford, Didcot, Newbury, Reading, Bracknell

Please be aware there are stations with limited availability, our current vacancies at these stations are subject to change.

Main duties of the job

The programme is 42 months in duration. Following initial induction and driver training at one of our education centres, you will undertake a mixture of continued classroom education and deployment within our Frontline 999 Operational Teams. All apprentices will undertake an End Point Assessment.

Once qualified and HCPC registered, you will work as a Newly Qualified Paramedic responding to emergency and urgent calls.

It is important that you read through the job description & person specification for the role before completing your application. Applicants that don't demonstrate how they meet the Person Specification within their application will not be shortlisted. Please ensure you demonstrate how you already embrace our values in your current/previous employments or educational settings.

Your supporting information is your chance to articulate why you want to work within the Trainee Paramedic Pathway role, and why we should be shortlisting you.

Top tips:

Review all points on the person specification both essential & desirable.

Fully consider the job you're applying for and what skills/abilities you have to offer, working in a front-line operational setting is extremely rewarding but it can also be both physically and mentally challenging.

Demonstrate your work journey & why this is the right next step.

Carefully read through your application before submitting.

About us

Benefits we offer:

  • Full training and support when you join and ongoing throughout your employment with us.
  • Holiday entitlement is 27 days rising to 29 days after 5 years and 33 days after 10 years, plus 8 bank holidays (pro rata for part time).
  • Enrolment into the NHS Pension Scheme.
  • Access to continual professional development and opportunities within SCAS and the NHS.
  • Occupational Health support along with an Employee Assistance Programme.
  • NHS Discounts in over 200+ stores including Holidays, Days out, Car insurance, Restaurants and Clothing.
  • Staff networking and support groups.

About Us

South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust provides a range of emergency, urgent care and non-emergency healthcare services, along with commercial logistics services.

The Trust delivers most of these services to the populations of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire and Oxfordshire as well as non-emergency patient transport services in Surrey and Sussex.

We serve a population of over 7 million and answer over 500,000 urgent calls a year. We employ 4,551 staff who, together with over 1,100 volunteers, enable us to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Details

Date posted

13 May 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£26,530 to £29,114 a year pro rata per annum (Indicative)

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

42 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

195-25-TPP-CSM

Job locations

Please see advert for station availability

Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire

OX26 6HR


Job description

Job responsibilities

You will need to be available to attend afitness assessment from one of our Education Centres and an interview which will be conducted via Microsoft Teams in June 2025. These can be conducted in any order and dates will be advised if shortlisted.

Stage 1 Undertake a Level 4 Associate Ambulance Practitioner (AAP) apprenticeship.

This part of the apprenticeship is 18-months in duration. Following initial induction and driver training at one of our education centres, apprentices will undertake a mixture of continuedclassroom education and deployment within our Frontline 999 Operational Teams working towards the Level 4 Diploma for Associate Ambulance Practitioners. During these operational deployments, apprentices will work alongside qualified clinicians responding to urgent and emergency calls, developing their AAP skills, knowledge and behaviours whilst consolidating practice through completion of an apprenticeship portfolio. At the end of the 18-month apprenticeship, apprentices will undertake an End Point Assessment. Before commencement of stage 2, there is a period of consolidation.

Stage 2 - Undertakea 2-year Bachelor of Science (Hons) Degreein Paramedic Science andbecomeanHCPC registered Paramedic.

The post holder will provide, urgent, emergency, and social care to patients in a pre-hospital environment in accordance with the role of Apprentice Student Paramedic.

They will ensure that they deliver the service in accordance with their apprenticeship training, scope of practice and guidance under structured supervision. They will act in accordance with the Trust and universitys policies, procedures and protocols, Apprentice Student Paramedics scope of practice, appropriate sections of the Joint Royal Colleges Ambulance Liaison Committee (JRCALC) guidelines and current legislation, including the Health and Care Professions Council standard of conduct and ethics for students, at all times.

The post holder will be responsible for providing (under supervision) care, assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and movement of patients in and out of hospital in emergency and non-emergency situation across a wide range of patient groups, in a wide range of settings.

Once all aspects of the apprenticeship programme have been successfully completed and HCPC registered, the post holder will become a Newly Qualified Paramedic.

Please see apprenticeship eligibility guidanceApprenticeship funding rules for employer-providers - Annex A: Eligibility criteria (who we fund) - Guidance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Unfortunately, due to the programme design and apprenticeship funding rules, we are not able to accept applications from individuals with formal pre-hospital qualifications such as ECA, IHCD Technician or FREC 4 & 5 and INTERNAL ECAs they should apply through the normal Apprentice Student Paramedic development route.

Driving is an essential skill for this role, C1 or C1 provisional category manual driving licence is essential at the point of application with no more than 3 penalty points. Due to the timescales for obtaining C1 provisional, we will not shortlist anyone without this category on their licence.

Upon submission of your application, we will be in contact to request your DVLA licence summary to check this category.

Please note that your full C1 entitlement will be required no later than 6 weeks prior to your training start date.

What do I need to apply?

You are required to have 5 GCSEs at grade 4 (C) or above including Maths, English Language, and a Science (Integrated/Combined Science, Biology, Physics or Chemistry) or equivalent. Functional Skills level 2 will be accepted in lieu of GCSE Maths and English Language. Original certificates to evidence your qualifications must be provided at time of application.

Upon submission of your application, we will be in contact to request evidence of these.

If you dont have these, you will need to request replacement certificates -gov.uk/replacement-exam-certificate.

A FAQ document can be found attached below within the documents to download section.

Applicants who dont demonstrate how they meet the Person Specification within their application will not be shortlisted.

Please ensure you demonstrate how you already embrace our values in your current/previous employments or educational settings within your application.

This will be a competitive process and we strongly advise you to review the following link which details instructions on how to apply Application process - SCAS Jobs

Job description

Job responsibilities

You will need to be available to attend afitness assessment from one of our Education Centres and an interview which will be conducted via Microsoft Teams in June 2025. These can be conducted in any order and dates will be advised if shortlisted.

Stage 1 Undertake a Level 4 Associate Ambulance Practitioner (AAP) apprenticeship.

This part of the apprenticeship is 18-months in duration. Following initial induction and driver training at one of our education centres, apprentices will undertake a mixture of continuedclassroom education and deployment within our Frontline 999 Operational Teams working towards the Level 4 Diploma for Associate Ambulance Practitioners. During these operational deployments, apprentices will work alongside qualified clinicians responding to urgent and emergency calls, developing their AAP skills, knowledge and behaviours whilst consolidating practice through completion of an apprenticeship portfolio. At the end of the 18-month apprenticeship, apprentices will undertake an End Point Assessment. Before commencement of stage 2, there is a period of consolidation.

Stage 2 - Undertakea 2-year Bachelor of Science (Hons) Degreein Paramedic Science andbecomeanHCPC registered Paramedic.

The post holder will provide, urgent, emergency, and social care to patients in a pre-hospital environment in accordance with the role of Apprentice Student Paramedic.

They will ensure that they deliver the service in accordance with their apprenticeship training, scope of practice and guidance under structured supervision. They will act in accordance with the Trust and universitys policies, procedures and protocols, Apprentice Student Paramedics scope of practice, appropriate sections of the Joint Royal Colleges Ambulance Liaison Committee (JRCALC) guidelines and current legislation, including the Health and Care Professions Council standard of conduct and ethics for students, at all times.

The post holder will be responsible for providing (under supervision) care, assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and movement of patients in and out of hospital in emergency and non-emergency situation across a wide range of patient groups, in a wide range of settings.

Once all aspects of the apprenticeship programme have been successfully completed and HCPC registered, the post holder will become a Newly Qualified Paramedic.

Please see apprenticeship eligibility guidanceApprenticeship funding rules for employer-providers - Annex A: Eligibility criteria (who we fund) - Guidance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Unfortunately, due to the programme design and apprenticeship funding rules, we are not able to accept applications from individuals with formal pre-hospital qualifications such as ECA, IHCD Technician or FREC 4 & 5 and INTERNAL ECAs they should apply through the normal Apprentice Student Paramedic development route.

Driving is an essential skill for this role, C1 or C1 provisional category manual driving licence is essential at the point of application with no more than 3 penalty points. Due to the timescales for obtaining C1 provisional, we will not shortlist anyone without this category on their licence.

Upon submission of your application, we will be in contact to request your DVLA licence summary to check this category.

Please note that your full C1 entitlement will be required no later than 6 weeks prior to your training start date.

What do I need to apply?

You are required to have 5 GCSEs at grade 4 (C) or above including Maths, English Language, and a Science (Integrated/Combined Science, Biology, Physics or Chemistry) or equivalent. Functional Skills level 2 will be accepted in lieu of GCSE Maths and English Language. Original certificates to evidence your qualifications must be provided at time of application.

Upon submission of your application, we will be in contact to request evidence of these.

If you dont have these, you will need to request replacement certificates -gov.uk/replacement-exam-certificate.

A FAQ document can be found attached below within the documents to download section.

Applicants who dont demonstrate how they meet the Person Specification within their application will not be shortlisted.

Please ensure you demonstrate how you already embrace our values in your current/previous employments or educational settings within your application.

This will be a competitive process and we strongly advise you to review the following link which details instructions on how to apply Application process - SCAS Jobs

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • 5 GCSEs at grade 4 (C) or above including Maths, English Language, and a Science (Integrated/Combined Science, Biology, Chemistry or Physics) or equivalent. (Functional Skills level 2 will be accepted in lieu of GCSE Maths and English Language).
  • Full UK Manual Driving Licence and C1 (provisional accepted at the time of application - must have 'full' C1 6-weeks prior to starting employment in position if successful). (The Trust will consider applications who have up to 3 live penalty points to their licence).

Desirable

  • Level 3 qualifications or higher (e.g. A levels, BTEC level 3, NVQ level 3, T levels, Access to Higher Education Course)

Knowledge & Experience

Essential

  • Experience of working with people in a service style industry (e.g. working with customers).
  • Experience in working in a performance environment.
  • Highly effective communication skills, both verbal and written.
  • Proficient in the use of IT and communications systems.
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • 5 GCSEs at grade 4 (C) or above including Maths, English Language, and a Science (Integrated/Combined Science, Biology, Chemistry or Physics) or equivalent. (Functional Skills level 2 will be accepted in lieu of GCSE Maths and English Language).
  • Full UK Manual Driving Licence and C1 (provisional accepted at the time of application - must have 'full' C1 6-weeks prior to starting employment in position if successful). (The Trust will consider applications who have up to 3 live penalty points to their licence).

Desirable

  • Level 3 qualifications or higher (e.g. A levels, BTEC level 3, NVQ level 3, T levels, Access to Higher Education Course)

Knowledge & Experience

Essential

  • Experience of working with people in a service style industry (e.g. working with customers).
  • Experience in working in a performance environment.
  • Highly effective communication skills, both verbal and written.
  • Proficient in the use of IT and communications systems.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Employer name

South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Please see advert for station availability

Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire

OX26 6HR


Employer's website

https://scasjobs.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Please see advert for station availability

Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire

OX26 6HR


Employer's website

https://scasjobs.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Recruitment

Ops Recruitment

OPSRecruitment@scas.nhs.uk

Details

Date posted

13 May 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£26,530 to £29,114 a year pro rata per annum (Indicative)

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

42 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

195-25-TPP-CSM

Job locations

Please see advert for station availability

Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire

OX26 6HR


Supporting documents

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