East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust

HART Operative (and Candidate Pool)

The closing date is 15 February 2026

Job summary

An opportunity has arisen for people to join the Hazardous Area Response Team Operatives ( and Candidate Pool) at Mansfield, Notts.

Looking for a new and exciting challenge? EMAS NHS Trust are seeking enthusiastic and motivated staff to join their Hazard Area Response Team (HART) appointable candidate pool. HART is a continuing national initiative led by NHS England, which enables clinical care to be delivered in areas previously inaccessible to the Ambulance Service. This pool will be used to fill vacancies across the following 12 months when opportunities arise.

The Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) is a team of staff recruited and trained specifically to operate within the inner cordon at an incident ("hot zone") or in hazardous environments. "Hot Zone" is defined as:

The Hot Zone is an area within the Inner Cordon where high concentrations of a substance are present and specific procedures and protocols, including Dynamic Risk Assessments, controlled access and egress and the wearing of appropriate levels of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) are required. Dependent on the type and nature of the hazard this area may contain live casualties who will need to be treated and prioritised for decontamination and evacuation" (National HART Work Standard Operating Procedures).

Main duties of the job

Successful applicants will receive the relevant training to be compliant the full range of HART capabilities.

HART Operatives are expected to be able to work in highly pressurised environments. Appropriate training, equipment and Personal Protective Equipment will be provided to mitigate against any risks, but the role requires strong mental and physical resilience

You must be a Registered Paramedic with the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC) and have successfully completed an approved paramedic process with two years post registration experience in a frontline ambulance role. If you have completed the NQP Pathway, this should be over a 2-year period obtaining experience in clinical practice, or less if progressed through the national fast track programme.

It will be necessary to demonstrate competence in team working, self-discipline, communication skills, adaptability, planning skills and decision making.

Due to the nature of the work and the constraints of the personal protective equipment, including gas-tight suits and extended duration breathing apparatus, a more stringent medical standard must be met via occupational health.

All aspects of the recruitment and selection process must be successfully completed. Applications will be shortlisted against the requirements of the role. Those taken forward will be subject to an optical assessment, occupational health medical, physical fitness assessment, clinical assessment, team working observations and DBS check.

About us

The EMAS Hazardous Area Response Team consist of 48 Paramedics trained and equipped to respond to patients within risk areas. The Unit is split into 6 teams of 7 HART Operatives with a Team Leader responsible for each team. This ensures we are able to maintain cover 24 hours a day.

The selection process will consist of:

STAGE ONE

Shortlisting of applications

STAGE TWO - Youmust be available to attend on both 18 and 19 March 2026

To ensure you are capable and comfortable working in the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and environments encountered during HART deployments we will put you through a series of scenarios over a two-day assessment programme. You will also undertake various clinical assessments.

You must successfully complete all elements of Day 1 to be invited to Day 2.

The assessments include:

  • Physical Competence Assessment (PCA)
  • Swimming Assessment
  • Clinical Assessment paper
  • Trauma/Advanced Life Support assessment
  • Confined Space/tunnel crawl
  • Breathing Apparatus appreciation wear
  • Working at height confidence assessment
  • Team based observation

STAGE THREE- You must be available to attend on 25 March 2026

  • Team based clinical assessment

STAGE FOUR

  • Specialist Occupational Health Assessment (including Respiratory, Sight and Hearing etc).
  • Pre employment checks including references, DBS and qualifications
  • Successful completion of 6 weeks residential training - Please note you must be available to attend 6 consecutive weeks at the start of your employment

Details

Date posted

30 January 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year PA

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

335-A-1951

Job locations

Operational Support Unit

Mansfield

NG18 5FA


Job description

Job responsibilities

Provide immediate health input to the initial assessment of the scene to meet the needs of Ambulance and Health Services, including casualty confirmation and management.

To provide specialist clinical support and knowledge within HAZMAT/CBRN, unstable terrain, at height or in/near water.Actively support and work with other members of the team undertaking those tasks allocated by the HART Team Leader, or Incident Commander.

Be prepared to respond to national incidents, with the possibility of being away for unknown periods of time.

Direct, coordinate and deliver lifesaving clinical care for patients within the inner cordon including triage, diagnosis, appropriate treatment, prior to, and during, decontamination and in situations of difficult access, unstable terrain or confined spaces, at times being the only clinician in situ and deliver casualties into mainstream healthcare.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Provide immediate health input to the initial assessment of the scene to meet the needs of Ambulance and Health Services, including casualty confirmation and management.

To provide specialist clinical support and knowledge within HAZMAT/CBRN, unstable terrain, at height or in/near water.Actively support and work with other members of the team undertaking those tasks allocated by the HART Team Leader, or Incident Commander.

Be prepared to respond to national incidents, with the possibility of being away for unknown periods of time.

Direct, coordinate and deliver lifesaving clinical care for patients within the inner cordon including triage, diagnosis, appropriate treatment, prior to, and during, decontamination and in situations of difficult access, unstable terrain or confined spaces, at times being the only clinician in situ and deliver casualties into mainstream healthcare.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • HCPC registered Paramedic

Desirable

  • ALS, PHTLS, PHEC or other advanced clinical courses (evidence of CPD)

Skills

Essential

  • UK Driving License which must include category C1. No more than 3 points

Experience

Essential

  • Minimum of 2 years post registration operational experience and completion of NQP period

Knowledge

Desirable

  • Currently qualified as CBRN Decontamination Team Operative (Experience of CBRN / MTA related role (i.e. SORT)
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • HCPC registered Paramedic

Desirable

  • ALS, PHTLS, PHEC or other advanced clinical courses (evidence of CPD)

Skills

Essential

  • UK Driving License which must include category C1. No more than 3 points

Experience

Essential

  • Minimum of 2 years post registration operational experience and completion of NQP period

Knowledge

Desirable

  • Currently qualified as CBRN Decontamination Team Operative (Experience of CBRN / MTA related role (i.e. SORT)

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust

Address

Operational Support Unit

Mansfield

NG18 5FA


Employer's website

https://www.emas.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust

Address

Operational Support Unit

Mansfield

NG18 5FA


Employer's website

https://www.emas.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

HART Team Leader

Dan Almond

Dan.Almond@emas.nhs.uk

Details

Date posted

30 January 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year PA

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

335-A-1951

Job locations

Operational Support Unit

Mansfield

NG18 5FA


Supporting documents

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