Serious question.

I know there are a few paramedics on here and I was thinking about the job they have to do over the Christmas period.

Now I have heard that there are major issues about underfunded, stretched and undermanned service.

As i understand it, it’s not well paid, it’s stressful and at times unpleasant.

My questions are basically why would anyone do it and did you know what it was going to be like when you joined?

Also, is there any realistic possibility of progression.

This no means a criticism, I have been in back of an ambulance on numerous occasions and every time got excellent service/help, they were friendly, helpful and a good laugh.

I love it.

I’ve side stepped into management but still have patient contact as my role involves staff support so I spend a good bit time with staff.

The money is Ok after a few years service but not in comparison to other healthcare with equal or even less responsibility.

It’s vastly different from when I joined over 26 years ago but I have more skills than it ever to help people with now than I ever did.

Progression exists and is slowly improving as new Paramedic Skill set roles are being developed but it is a little limited.

I do it as I like working with people, I love helping people, the reward for seeing how well people recover after serious illness or injury, the heart felt thank you from the patient and relatives even when you couldn’t do anything makes it worth it.

It’s a stressful, massively emotional and physically exhausting job but I enjoy immensely.

I was talking about this with my wife last night. I’ve always likened it to the Army. I joined when I was young and idealistic. I wanted to save the world, be a hero, make a difference to peoples lives, make things better. I saw it as an opportunity to be kind to people who rarely see kindness, bring hope where there is little and where nothing good could come form a situation, to try and at least do that bit right (That makes me sound a bit Jesus like doesn’t it? What can I say, i was young?).

I knew I’d see bad things, witness the worst of humanity. Some of that stays with you and some of it changes you. There are good moments too, and they stay with you and bring you a bit of quite, smug satisfaction when they come up (the guy who got all aggressive when he saw his girlfriend hugging me in a bar “who do you think you are? I’m jim, I’m a paramedic, i was there when you fell down the stairs.”). After a while it starts to grate though, you become a bit numb to it and forget that behind the pain and suffering and whining and moaning about tiny things are real people, real, frightened, possibly a bit thick, people.

Controvertially, the money is pretty good actually. Sure its not banker level, but I earn more than a Police officer or a fire fighter (or a soldier). I find £32k a year plenty and its a lot more than most people round here earn.

Progression exists, and is getting easier. I was a band 6 when I left (pay band above Paramedic.) In the past I have interviewed for (and sometimes got) Supervisor jobs, Helicopter Paramedic jobs, HART (hazardous area response team/go to the gym and polish your kit team), senior Advisor, training, advanced practitioner roles etc etc. Then the obvious step to management etc. ITs not as easy as it is to get promoted in Nursing, but that is due to sheer numbers. If there were as many Paras as nurses there would be more senior roles.

Back to the Army analogy, some join young and idealistic, some join for a specific reason, feel its their calling or for a total change of life. In the past few left. I left after 13 years and from my small ambulance station, I know of 12 other staff that have left in the last 12 months. Its too busy, there is little staff support, moral is low, public respect is low and crucially, there are now bette opportunities outside of the NHS. I’m not willy waiving, but I got a band 8a job. that was un heard of a few years ago, pure madness. but a new employer recognised the skills we had, offered great money and attracted hundreds of applicants. I got lucky.

I’d go back, I’ve applied for bank work in a different county, just to keep my hand in, i guess a bit like joining the reserves after being a regular.

I loved being a Paramedic but the time was right and I had to go. I have physical injuries and scars and mental health issues that I’ll not address here. I don’t regret what I did, Im proud of what I’ve been, but I am so glad to be out if it now.

TL;DR over dramatic ex paramedic says “it used to be great, its a bit rubbish now. glad i did it, wouldn’t do it again.

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Over a career these scenarios are endless and not addressed in any way, shape or form.

That’s not the case for all. That’s what my role involves supporting staff though just such things.

Staff with 40 years service retire, on their last day at work they just walk out the door, no goodbye, no thank you, no “thanks for the last 40yrs”. That sucks.

That shouldn’t happen.

Oh dear you edited your post Qwerty.

I often ask myself the same question, why??

I never ever had any intention of becoming a paramedic, I just kind of stumbled into the job as I wanted to try something a bit different and being stuck in an office isn’t for me. I already worked for an ambulance service in a different role before doing this so knew quite a lot of paramedics and as a result was told all the good, bad and otherwise about the job.

Despite what various reports in the press say, it’s not that badly paid. Don’t get me wrong, I’d happily take a pay rise but as it is the pay isn’t bad.
The work is usually pretty relentless, you go out at the start of a shift and you get back to station, usually later than you’re supposed to, and while you’re out the work is non-stop. As a service we’re hugely under-resourced but when you’re out and about in the ambulance you can only do one job at a time so it doesn’t really effect you if that makes sense.

There are plenty of opportunities for progression if you want them, there’s always the possibility of moving into management if you’re so inclined or other than that there are roles as trainers, more specialist teams like HART and the likes or more community based roles in some services.

The job itself I don’t find overly stressful, it has it’s moments just like any job. Plenty of my colleagues disagree with this but that’s just my take on it. It can be unpleasant but it can also be bloody brilliant. You see the absolute best of people alongside the dregs of society and can go from the best feeling imaginable on one job to something absolutely horrendous within a matter of a few minutes.
You end up working with crewmates who you spend more time with than your own family and in doing so you’ll have a great time. It’s the staff that really make the job, no matter how good or bad a day you’ve had the people you work with will cheer you up no end or knock you down a peg or two if you seem a bit too happy, the humour is something else and would no doubt be frowned upon somewhat by folk who aren’t in the job.

It’s a great job, really worthwhile and in some respects it’s almost like a drug. You keep going back there and doing it over and over again even though you know it’s probably not doing your physical or mental health any good and there’s other options out there.
Oh, and I almost forgot, you get a 20% discount at Nando’s as well which is pretty good 😆

I’m sure there are tons of reasons why people become paramedics. I’d be interested to hear all of them. But what counts the most is that we have these people who did make that choice. I consider it a vocation and am grateful to all of them who engaged. Touch wood; I’ve never been a customer. Knowing if I need their skills, such professionals are on the end of a 999 is very, very reassuring. And for that, I am sincerely thankful.

It’s a job that continuously changes, never the same thing twice. I’m out and about. It’s a challenge.
That’s what attracted me to it, approaching 9yrs on A&E, it still does

Its all the above, plus…

It’s great fun. You get to solve peoples problems, all day (and night) long; this is very satisfying. Spoiler; that’s the real reason most people call ambulances, it’s nothing to do with being ‘big sick’, it’s the running out of ideas of how to solve their current predicament, whether that be ‘I don’t think my baby is breathing’ to ‘I’ve got no money for the leccy meter/taxi home/taxi to the labour ward etc’. I have been called out to change someone’s TV channel. I remain reticent.

For me it’s pretty well paid; after 15 years in the job, like Drac I’m now employed to solve the problems that the road staff can’t solve, rather than the patients (primarily). I’ll clear circa 50k by the end of the year, which I can’t complain about seeing as I never went to uni, and dossed around at school. There’s better paid jobs out there, but not many that will be as varied as mine. 15 years and it can still be challenging, frustrating, tedious, hilarious and terrifying, but never dull. I got interviewed by BBC breakfast at some ungodly hour (and at the end of a long night shift!) the other day; that was a new and terrifying experience!

Oh yes the variety is what keeps you motivated too, no 2 jobs are the same.

£50k 😯

I do work in the real world equivelent of Mos Eisley for that Drac, reckon I’d probably swap with you if you work where I think you work 😉

I take it you’re band 7?

Thanks for all the responses.

An interesting mix of thoughts, experiences and opinions.

I didn’t realise that the salaries were quite so high, I thought it was typically about £25k.

Saying that, I wouldn’t do it for £100k!

Yep, Plus 25. Best job in the Trust 8)

6 for me with the 25% so still do Ok.

They’re around £25k Gobuchul.

Point 16 £21,692
Point 17 £22,236
Point 18 £23,132
Point 19 £24,063
Point 20 £25,047
Point 21 £26,041
Point 22 £27,090
Point 23 £28,180

We get a shift enhancement depending on you shift pattern and how many which helps boost it.

I didn’t realise that the salaries were quite so high, I thought it was typically about £25k.

Salaries start quite low, but are compensated by decent unsociable hours supplements (for now 😯 , watch this space if Jeremey **** gets his way). Also, there’s yearly progression, which the Tories are also trying to take away. I don’t think I’d actively encourage anyone to do it for the money these days. Your income would be very much at the whim of politicians.

I don’t think I’d actively encourage anyone to do it for the money these days.

If you’re doing it for the money then go elsewhere as it’s not a job for money even with a good pay. 😀

OP, you could ask the same question of many of the roles in the NHS I guess. After just 1 year as a Midwife my wife was as progressed as she can expect to get since the pay was frozen (no scales within Bands and she very quickly progressed to Band 6) and the rates for unsociable hours are cut (Sat no extra, Sun and night only marginally more AFAIK). She earn close enough to the minimum wage to make you wonder if it is worth it when the body is taking a beating with the stress and manual aspects of the job. Some of the older Midwives have it better as they were up a few pay scales before the pay was frozen but it doesn’t look like a great thing to be going in to now! I can only see that it comes down to being a vocation which I imagine must be true of much of the NHS

Band 6 close to minimum wage?

Without shift allowance its approx the UK national average pay. The problem being there isn’t much private sector equivalent, so there is no demand or competition to push the wage higher.
It’s also worth bearing in mind the retirement age. Emergency service staff can go at 60. We’re essential staff, so it’s the standard retirement of 67.

I didn’t realise that the salaries were quite so high

I wouldn’t call that salary ‘high’, quite the opposite when you consider what the job entails ie. the initial and continuous education/training requirements, the increasing number of drugs and potentially life saving equipment available, with all those skills utilised as an autonomous health care professional!

In fact the more I think about it the salary is absolutely crap but as said above, you really don’t do it just for the money. It can be hugely rewarding which fortunately goes some way to make up for the large amount of time spent on things which really aren’t accidents or emergencies.

With hand on heart, I wouldn’t recommend the job to anyone, as the physical and mental stress is increasing daily. Most people I know are very keen to get off the ‘front line’ and many have left or retired (often early due to injury) at the first opportunity.

I wouldn’t call that salary ‘high’,I thought it was typically about £25k.

This was referring to this comment:

I’ll clear circa 50k by the end of the year, which I can’t complain about seeing as I never went to uni, and dossed around at school.

As I said

Saying that, I wouldn’t do it for £100k!

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I think it must be an incredibly tough and stressful job and I doff my cap!

I think the salary is pretty low considering the consequences if you cock up. Therefore the need to stay on top and up to date is essential.

I have had “customer experience” of paramedics and I’d like to appreciate what they did. I personally think it is one of the most honorable jobs in society.

Fully agree with Derek starship… A big high five, thumbs up and a massive thanks to anyone who is a paramedic and all in the front line NHS…

This was referring to this comment:

It’s not £50k that’s for a manager with enhancements.

I personally think it is one of the most honorable jobs in society.

You’re not wrong there, along with all the other emergency and front-line services that will put their own lives on the line 24/7 to come and rescue you from whatever major or minor incident befalls you, regardless of your age, background, race, or circumstances.

I still find it both humbling and depressing how little society as a whole seems to value and reward such people, yet there they are, whenever you need them, no matter what.

Thanks for the appreciation folks it helps to know that people think but we do just do it because it’s our job. However, many ambulance staff are hard working, dedicated and caring individuals who do it because they genuinely want to help people.

we do just do it because it’s our job

Maybe so, but there’s plenty of other jobs you could do, for more money, less hours, nicer conditions and with less stress. There is/was a choice there (conscious or not) to do it and to stay doing it.

Band 6 close to minimum wage?

no chance, I’m on £9.96 an hour as a lowly top of band 3 nursing assistant

Maybe so, but there’s plenty of other jobs you could do, for more money, less hours, nicer conditions and with less stress. There is/was a choice there (conscious or not) to do it and to stay doing it.

True but there’s not many other jobs I’d rather do. I’m own boss 99% of the time, the conditions aren’t bad sick pay, pension, good annual leave, we provide free physio and counselling for staff, there’s salary sacrifice schemes amongst other things. The frontline staff do some long hours, can go 8 to 9 hours without so much of a cuppa far too often and finish late more than we’d like them to. But they continue to provide fantastic patient care.

and depressing how little society as a whole seems to value and reward such people

Hardly surprising when the Government of the day goes out of it’s way to portray them as over-paid work-shy slackers, resisting reform and bleeding the state dry with their inefficient and expensive ways!

I personally think it is one of the most honorable jobs in society.

Yes indeed. Another cap doffed here to all those keeping healthy and happy!

Band 6 close to minimum wage?

no chance, I’m on £9.96 an hour as a lowly top of band 3 nursing assistant

I believe basic pay is just over £10/ hour and as I mentioned, pay is frozen, Sat is no longer classed as unsocial hours, nights are now 12pm-6am (so a 12 hour night shift is half basic pay), Sun is unsocial but barely more than basic pay, etc since changes in the Trust in the last year or so. The original comment was an exaggeration but it doesn’t feel much over the minimum when you compare to low skill, low qualification, low stress/ responsibility jobs out there. Interesting that Band 3 elsewhere isn’t far off! Also, although it is far away, the talk of a £10 minimum wage is depressing if the pay did indeed remain frozen.

Maybe so, but there’s plenty of other jobs you could do, for more money, less hours, nicer conditions and with less stress. There is/was a choice there (conscious or not) to do it and to stay doing it.

I have suggested the same but the answer from my wife with all the suggestions is “I could do that but I’d be bored after a week”. The reasons for doing it are much the same as you mentioned already Drac. Keep up the good work 😀

Never a dull moment that’s for sure. The companionship as mentioned is unbelievable some of my permanent partners know more secrets about me than my wife does.

Channel 4 now if you want to know why.

Slightly OT but this

I don’t regret what I did, Im proud of what I’ve been, but I am so glad to be out if it now.

is something I hear more and more of from staff leaving the NHS

Interestingly, this was posted on Facebook this AM by a friend:

Today a paramedic called REDACTED is leaving Yorkshire Ambulance Service. Sure, sure…he can be a bit of a cock (or ball), but he is also one of the smartest clinicians I know who was willing to put so much into his job. He trained hard in his own time and was invested. It’s a shame that this investment wasn’t mirrored by his employer because now they lose someone great. I hope one day soon, the realisation that good paramedics are leaving in droves due to a lack of support and a lack of progress make Yorkshire and other ambulance services sit up, take notice and do something. Things can absolutely get better. I hope they will.
Good luck REDACTED. Will miss you, pal. Our loss. Their gain.

speaks volumes

I’m very, very grateful that folks do choose to be paramedics.

Especially the ones who drove the ambulance off road for about 1/4 of a mile to pick up my wife after a mountain bike accident. She might well not have made it without them. They were great.

Never got the chance to buy them a beer but bought one for a paramedic who used to drink in my local as a ‘thank you’ just ‘cos – hopefully someone else bought the ones who saved my wife beers some other time.

Please keep doing it and thanks again.

Merry Christmas one and all!

Cheers JulianA.

Staff are leaving for various reasons but droves is a bit of an exaggeration. We’re working hard to retain and support staff but it’s taking a lot of work and time to create a new culture.