A growing career in the UK

Private ambulance companies provide patient transport and special event services.3 Smaller public ambulance services are responsible for island and overseas territories such as the Isle of Wight, Isle of Man, Guernsey, Jersey, and Gibraltar.3 Regulation The Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) is the national professional, statutory, and regulatory body for the paramedic profession, with a single register in place since 2000 to administer the title of paramedic, protected since 2001.4,5 Their goal is to set standards for professional education, training, and practice and to administer the register of those meeting these standards and act on those who do not.4 Many different qualifications would historically meet the entry requirements for the paramedic register; however, the first standard of education and training change (SET 1) will take effect on Sept. 1, 2021, after which only those with an undergraduate degree (BScHons) may be considered for registration.4 Other ambulance staff, such as assistants and technicians, are currently unregistered in the U.K., although the nonstatutory voluntary registration organization UKREMT (like the NAEMT in the U.S.) is gaining popularity.6 The peak professional body is the College of Paramedics, previously the British Paramedic Association, established in the early 2000s. The college represents its members through professional support in areas of continuing professional development opportunities, clinical practice, standards, education, and research.5 Education Ambulance services in the U.K. began to take training in earnest in the early 1970s, with experimental paramedic schemes trialled by the NHS across various trusts.5 Initial training occurred at that level, with the first part-time university undergraduate program starting at the University of Hertfordshire in the late 1990s. [...]apprenticeship provisions are being developed to bridge this divide.2 There are currently 66 programs approved by the HCPC, with 36 university and three private or trust providers.4 Postgraduate education in specialized areas is a growing area of demand.5 According to the College of Paramedics career framework, specialist paramedics should attain a postgraduate certificate or diploma, advanced paramedics should attain a master's degree, and consultant paramedics should reach doctoral-level education.5 There is a keen interest in further research, with a reported nine U.K. paramedics achieving doctoral qualifications and another 23 in the process.7 Industry The NHS is the primary provider of out-ofhospital emergency care across the U.K., with local private companies providing a supportive role mainly at events and for interfacility transport.