Cohort 7 & 8 of the South Yorkshire Paramedic Rotational Scheme

The South Yorkshire Workforce & Training Hub are looking for expressions of interest for cohort 7 & 8 of the Paramedic Rotational Scheme in collaboration with Yorkshire Ambulance Service across South Yorkshire PCNs to start Spring 2024.

The scheme was developed in response to the ARRS funding for the paramedic role to increase GP capacity and promote a sustainable paramedic primary care workforce, without destabilising the ambulance service.  

This model gives paramedics skills to manage patients in primary care, including acute care skills, long-term condition management and other skills tailored to support the GP workload. We developed a 12-week preceptorship programme, which is delivered and then followed by a 6-week rotational working pattern. Supervision is in place throughout to support practices embedding the paramedic role.

Delivery of the rotational scheme  

• The PCN are assigned two specialist paramedics
• Each paramedic completes the 12-week training programme in turn, 1 day per week is a taught session delivered by a GP educator from the training hub, on subjects such as ears and hearing, diabetes, suspected cancer referrals, things they wouldn’t deal with on the back of an ambulance. The remaining 4 days per week are spent in within a practice
• On completion of the 2 x 12 week training programmes, each paramedic then spends six weeks working in primary care and rotates with their partner back in YAS
• While they are on rotation, the paramedics are working towards competition of the road map which assures competence and is aimed to be completed within 18 months.
• The paramedics remain employed by the YAS for the duration and YAS invoice the PCN for the ARRS funding.

Impact to date

• Increased GP time available for complex patients.
• The intensive training approach reduces GP supervision time and quite quickly the paramedics become time neutral
• Fewer patients admitted to ED as a result of the paramedics learning and understanding of conditions during their time in practice, paramedics who are on the scheme are taking aprox 20-25% fewer patients to ED as a result of this
• Fewer ambulance journeys are being made which increases the availability of paramedics and ambulances.
• Its giving patients a right place, right person first time approach.

If your practice or PCN is interested, or would like any further information, please contact Amy Collins, project Manager as soon as possible.