ECA and ACA career paths
ACA’s and ECA’s
The role of ACA outside of PTS is limited and all ACA’s on PSV’s will be given an
opportunity to train to become an ECA. There is no requirement for PTS ACA’s to
retrain.
New starters in ECA roles are enrolled in a QCF Diploma in Health Care Support,
level 3 and from Autumn 2014 this will be offered to all existing staff and should be
achieved with some APEL (accreditation for prior learning and experience) in 1
year. This programme of up skilling will be rolled out over a 3 – 5 year time frame.
Current ECA’s that are without a level 3 will be asked to apply for the programme
and we will ascertain how many staff members we can upskill per annum. The
Trust will need to agree a means to prioritise applicants.
Some applicant’s achievement may be fast tracked due to personal APEL. There
will be no initial requirement for ECAs to take the level 3 given this would be
inconsistent with the educational attainment level required at recruitment.
It is anticipated that as this qualification can be aligned to the apprenticeship
framework funding from Health Education SW may be granted. The Trust is
exploring a means to gain ‘provider status’ so full funding can be achieved. A
national initiative is being led by West Midlands to give the ambulance sector
‘apprenticeship status.’
As an interim measure local colleges with provider status are being asked to
partner with us to ‘host’ our apprenticeship opportunities and share funding
ensuring we cover our costs. The cost is approximately £110 per programme. This
may be borne by staff members or paid by the Trust on behalf of the student and
recouped via a salary reduction scheme unless funded by HESW or achieved
within current budget parameters.
There is no abstraction to complete the Level 3 as work portfolios are managed
over a period of a year in work time (max 4 days, 1 per quarter) and overseen by
local Learning and Development Officers.
ECA’s may also seek to take a Level 4 qualification as a stepping stone to
becoming a paramedic and commencing their level 5. This qualification will in
effect act as part of their ‘access’ requirement to Higher Education.
The Level 4 qualification for future paramedics is being designed and developed
by SWASFT in partnership with Skills for Health. A national group, working on
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behalf of the ambulance sector is considering the content of modules and it is
expected that the qualification will be ready in the Summer of 2015. If this award is
linked to the apprenticeship framework the Trust may be able to access funding
similar to the above.
ECA’s to paramedics
The Trust has good partnership arrangements with 3 Regional Universities
(Bournemouth, University of West of England and Plymouth) which provide the
Trust with Graduates in September of each year. From 2015 all 3 Universities will
only offer the BSc (Hons) Paramedic Programmes, a significant shift from Diploma
to Degree level. This is in line with Health Education England’s Paramedic
Evidence-Based Education (PEEP) Report recommendations and with AACE
policy. SWASFT intends to work collaboratively with our regional providers to
influence the content of the 3rd year to ensure that the changing nature of our
business and integration with MIU’s and OOH services are reflected. This will
include influencing the Universities to consider the growing trend and need for
more specialist paramedics (ECP’s).
To meet need and avoid having one large intake of students per year it is essential
that the Trust has access to a further intake of Paramedics in January/February to
fill vacancies as a result of natural turnover.
In addressing the need to have an internal supply of candidates the development
of an Emergency Care Assistant to Paramedic career path was made available in
2009 via the OU pathway. It is considered that this pathway has not been as
successful as was hoped. There have been difficulties maintaining a high quality
programme particularly with regard to hospital placements, face to face classroom
time and quality of mentorship. There has also been a lack of clarity around the
roles and responsibilities of the student, Trust and the OU.
The attrition rate on the OU programme is currently 15 % (March 2014) compared
to 1 - 2 % on fulltime university programmes regionally.
There are high costs and resource implications associated with releasing staff
from frontline duties to attend face to face classroom training and this has affected
the quality and outcomes of the internal student training.
As of 2013 the number of available places on the ECA to Paramedic Pathway with
the OU was reduced from 90 to 30 to enable the following issues to be resolved
and a more robust system put in place. These have included:
•
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Harmonisation across the Trust in respect of extractions for specialist
placements and face to face classroom sessions;
Preceptorship/Transition Policy;
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•
Dedicated resource administration/coordination of student placements;
Mentorship Policy and Development programme.
In 2014 the Trust decided to seek alternate providers for programmes and hosted
a show case event for potential University Partners. Information was gathered
regarding service offering against a defined specification and assessment against
on the following:
SWASFT requirements were;
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Costings for provision of 30 to 40 places;
Validation reports of existing programmes to be provided (HCPC and CoP);
Evidence of provision of an electronic Learning management System (LMS);
Demonstration of online or blended learning materials;
Module and programme specifications;
Assessment criteria/methodology in use;
Classroom based delivery models/partnership expectations;
A sound approach to practice placements;
Mentoring support;
Portfolio documentation and support;
Strategic plans for the programme offered;
Admissions criteria;
An overview of programme management;
The potential for use of innovative delivery models, e.g. blended learning
and delivery of classroom learning within SWASFT venues and by SWASFT
tutors;
A supply of Graduates in the Spring to complement Autumn outturn.
The market review indicated that there were suppliers that could meet this need
and formal ratification via a tendering process will commence post the National
decision by Health Education England (HEE) on the future of paramedic training.
If HEE agree to provide national bursaries for paramedic routes they will
commission universities accordingly. If not, the Trust will manage a procurement
exercise to select a suitable partner for an intake of September 2015 or Spring
2016. Typical programmes reviewed cost £5,500 per annum, over 3 years with 12
face to face sessions per year, no placements in year 1 with 3 weeks in year 2 and
3 weeks in year 3. It is suggested individuals self-fund unless a discount can be
achieved by SWASFT procuring places. If this is so, a salary reduction scheme
will be devised. The Trust will commit to funding 50% of all abstractions so
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students do not use all of their rest days or annual leave on placements and
lecture attendance.
Candidates for the internal ECA to Paramedic programme should be treated as
Student Paramedics.
Student paramedics should be identifiable as undertaking a defined programme in
partnership with their employer (SWASFT) to achieve registration status. This is
currently at Level 5 (Diploma of Higher Education) level but it will rise to degree
(B.SC Hons) by 2019.
The number of ECAs (student paramedics) supported to develop whilst working
full time will be limited to a maximum of 30. This is to achieve a balance between
the development of existing employees and the Trust’s partnership with regional
university undergraduate programmes which are delivered at no cost to the Trust.
ECA Applicants to the programme will be sought annually and should have a level
3 award and 1 year in post or experience that can be accredited. This will be
subject to pre-conditions:
• Line manager recommendation;
• Satisfactory sickness record;
• Necessary qualifications (4 GCSE’s including Maths, English, Science and
one other;
• Completion of the level 3 award: Clinical Healthcare Support’ (Emergency
Care Assistant) to include a portfolio of evidence;
• Completion of additional short modules necessary for entry into higher
education (Access programme);
• Agreement that they will be posted within a 30 mile radius of home location
or required to relocate to accept vacancies.
Students graduating in their final year would do so in the first quarter of each
calendar year. Having reached registered paramedic status at the start of the year,
Trust Student Paramedics would have preferred status for recruitment to
paramedic vacancies trust-wide. This would also result in two main recruitment
waves at the start and mid-year stages. There would be no commitment to
guarantee to provide vacancies at or near the Student paramedics base station on
completion of the programme, however the Trust would endeavor to take
individual preferences into account where possible.
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The OU pathway will not continue in 2015 and as such there will be a gap in the
succession plan in 2018. 18 ECA’s applied to the Trust for support to commence
the OU course September 2014. The Trust has agreed to delay enrolment and
sponsor these applicants in 2015 with the new suppliers using the next year to
complete a level 4 ‘Access’ course.
It is anticipated that current OU students may wish to transfer onto the new
programme once this commences. This will be a matter for the individual and
programme provider. The support of time off at 50% will be offered to those
currently funding time through annual leave and rest day use.
To support the current OU programme the LETB have offered to fund Plymouth
University and possibly UWE to manage the placements for our remaining OU
students. This will ensure our staff are treated in the same manner as other AHPs
on programmes, although placements may be in blocks which will impact
operations. The impact of this is being assessed.
ECA to Paramedic (Student Paramedic) Pathway
SWASFT Commitment
Student Paramedic Commitment
Student Paramedic Contract and support
of placement and abstraction time (50%).
Student Paramedic Contract – continue
to stay Band 3 and offered Bank shift
as Paramedic on qualification.
Commitment to use annual leave and
rest days for 50% of placement and
course time.
Preferred access to paramedic vacancies Commitment to access vacancies
across the Trust from point of graduation across the Trust as they arise following
in the first half of the (graduation) year to graduation
June of the same year
(SWASFT is unable to commit to
guarantee a paramedic vacancy at the
student paramedics’ base station)
(Students will be asked to commit to
SWASFT on graduation for a defined
period under a learning contract)
Salary sacrifice and/or tax efficient
means of fees payment through salary
Tuition fees
Provision of mentor support
Commitment to a Student Paramedic
training contract
Satisfactory Attendance to be defined
Provision of Specialist (Hospital)
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Placements
by University and Employer
Costs associated with extraction from
operational duties for classroom
workshops and learning
Commitment to be posted within a 30
mile radius of home location
Access to specific CPPD opportunities
designed to support the programme
Access to electronic learning support
system for portfolio production and
programme support
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