In recent years there has been a noticeable shift by paramedics from their traditional employment within ambulance services into urgent and primary care roles. Many are employed directly by GP practices using in-house bespoke models of clinical supervision, support and development.
This guide published by Brooke Petter Associates Ltd aims to support general practices to understand the role of paramedics and how they can become part of a multidisciplinary team with wider skill sets, enabling new and exciting models of care to develop.
Download Recruitment and development of paramedics in primary care
The guide outlines different models for employing paramedics within primary care, including:
- Paramedic undertakes patient home visits
- Paramedic assesses and manages patients presenting with acute illness and those with long-term conditions in same-day service clinics, including sessional work
- Paramedic conducts telephone consultations, triage and management of patients with common illnesses
Paramedics can undertake clinical roles including:
- Respond to medical emergencies within the practice.
- Take part in multidisciplinary case reviews.
- Address medicines concordance with patients / carers.
- Carry out face-to-face or telephone follow up consultations with patients.
- Signpost and refer patients to appropriate services and other healthcare professionals.
- Interpret and manage the results of blood test and x-Ray results.
Paramedics can also undertake audit and educational roles including:
- Conduct clinical audits as part of the practice multidisciplinary team.
- Implement, in conjunction with the practice team, systems such as antibiotic stewardship for monitoring medicines use.
- Contribute to the clinical education and revalidation of other healthcare professionals (e.g. Advanced, Intermediate and Basic Life Support).
- Provide input to quality improvement and practice development schemes.
