EEAST And West Suffolk College Team Up To Offer Insight Into Career In Ambulance Service

East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) and West Suffolk College are working together to broaden the scope of the Health and Social Care course, with the aim of attracting more students.  

A six-week taster module has been designed by EEAST staff for the Health and Social Care course, which starts on the 23rd September, 2021, in order to offer both skills and an insight into career development opportunities in the ambulance service.

EEAST course covering ambulance service job

Among the areas that the course will cover are how to assess a patient (the primary survey patient assessment), choking and foreign body removal, cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and dementia awareness, including hands-on practical sessions on how patients with dementia see the world.

In the final week, there will be a look around an ambulance and a question-and-answer session about the various roles in the ambulance service. It is hoped that these aspects of the course will inspire students to undertake the paramedic degree pathway with local universities or enquire to search jobs within the Trust, if not ready for university.

Attracting more men to the course

The aim of this module is to not only show students what we do at EEAST, but to actively encourage participation"

Another aim is to attract more men on to the course, as the college has increasingly noticed that it has become seen as female orientated.

Neil Pettit, the Sector Support Lead for Suffolk and Norfolk East Essex, who has been instrumental in setting up the course, said “The aim of this module is to not only show students what we do at EEAST, but to actively encourage participation in a fun way.”

Career development opportunities at EEAST

Neil Pettit adds, “The hope is that they see the career development opportunities at EEAST and want to pursue a career in the ambulance service. I have worked in the ambulance service for 36 years and I can strongly attest to what a rewarding career it is.”

Naomi Meara, Head of Health and Social Sciences at West Suffolk College, said “This year we are very pleased to launch this joint venture with EEAST after consultation and curriculum review which we feel will augment our health and social care course.”

Offer key insight into the ambulance service

Naomi Meara adds, “Over an extended period, the team at EEAST will give students an insight into the ambulance service and help develop character strengths and skills that are needed to work in this all-important branch of emergency medicine.”