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Once you have been working as a registered paramedic for two years, you can progress to roles that allow you to carry out more treatments, specialise in specific areas and take on more responsibility.For the more senior paramedic roles, you first have to work as a paramedic and be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). You then take extra training for one of the roles for experienced paramedics. You may have to take a further qualification, depending on which qualifications you already hold.Most jobs in the NHS are covered by the Agenda for Change (AfC) pay scales and experienced paramedics usually start at band 6. This pay system covers all staff except doctors, dentists and the most senior managers. Although senior paramedics work standard hours of around 37.5 a week, these are often on a shift pattern. Shifts can cover 24 hours a day, 7 days a week throughout the year, so a paramedic’s work pattern may include, evenings, nights, early starts, weekends and bank holidays.Experienced paramedics need to be calm in stressful situations, resilient in dealing with other people’s strong emotions, able to work quickly and carefully, have good communication skills, excellent driving skills and be able to use equipment and machinery.With experience, you could become a team leader, supervising the work of paramedics and emergency care assistants. You could become a manager, responsible for several teams. In some ambulance trusts you could progress to consultant paramedic, advising on and developing the clinical practice in that service. Teaching or research are other options. Some experienced paramedics choose to join a specialist team such as caring for stroke patients or working on an air ambulance.
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Physiotherapy assistants make a difference to the lives of our patients every day by helping them recover from a range of illnesses and conditions. It is also a route to becoming a physiotherapist.
There are no set entry requirements for physiotherapy assistants. Employers expect good numeracy and literacy and some experience or qualifications in health or social care. Employers may ask for GCSEs in English and maths. Apprenticeships in healthcare can provide you with experience to apply for physiotherapy assistant and other clinical support roles. You will be given the training you need to do the job, including an introduction to the department and its procedures and how to set up and use the equipment. You may be offered the chance to study for qualifications such as the NCFE CACHE level 2 Certificate in Healthcare Support Services or the NCFE CACHE level 3 Diploma in Healthcare Support.As a physiotherapy assistant you will typically start on Agenda for Change band 2 or 3. With further training and experience, you could apply for more senior positions at band 4 - eg as an assistant practitioner. Physiotherapy assistants in the NHS work standard hours, which are likely to be around 37.5 a week. This may include evenings and weekends. Terms and conditions will usually be different for physiotherapy assistants working outside of the NHS.As a physiotherapy assistant, you need to be happy to be hands-on with patients, willing to demonstrate exercises, able to use gym equipment, a good listener, calm and understanding, happy to talk to and work with groups, able to follow procedures, able to motivate people, willing to work alone or in a team and physically fit. You'll also need good organisational and communication skills and the ability to explain treatment to patients.With experience, you could become a team leader supervising the work of other physiotherapy assistants. You could apply to train as an assistant practitioner or, with the qualifications needed for entry into university, as a physiotherapist. -
Environmental health professionals are at the forefront of public health, as every aspect of environmental health is designed to improve the public’s health and wellbeing.
You can apply to become a local enforcement officer with GCSEs or equivalent qualifications and experience of working in environmental health. For more senior roles you’ll need to undertake professional training, such as a Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) or Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland (REHIS) qualification in Food Premises Inspection, Food Control, Food Safety, or Food and Health. To become an environmental health practitioner or officer, you will need a degree or higher degree level that is accredited by the CIEH or the REHIS before passing professional exams. A BSc Environmental Health Practitioner degree apprenticeship has been approved for delivery. To get onto a degree apprenticeship, you will need to apply for an apprentice position with an employer.Working hours are likely to vary depending on the nature of the role and may involve some evening and weekend working (for example in responding to an environmental incident). An environmental health officer may earn up to £32,000; a senior environmental health officer up to £35,000. A team leader might earn up to £41,000.You'll need to be tactful and diplomatic, have an awareness of and commitment to customer care principles, and be effective at analysing problems, evaluating and recommending options. More senior roles will require knowledge and demonstrable experience across a number of environmental health disciplines.You might choose to specialise and take postgraduate qualifications, or move into a management role. Opportunities to become a chief executive also exist. Roles in the private sector may be available for senior staff.