In 2023/24, the North East Ambulance Service was supported by the region’s fire services at several incidents across the North East. The simulation day exercises replicated the kinds of incidents and conditions both service’s crews would be expected to respond to as an emergency service.
As part of the training, both service’s apprentices had to work together to respond to a variety of emergency exercises including an explosion, a road traffic collision, a mental health crisis, and a paediatric fall. In each exercise both teams of apprentices were presented with different injuries and illnesses that would require varying treatment such as head injuries, burns, and cardiac arrests, and had to work together to provide timely patient care.
Dan Cooper, strategic education lead for the North East Ambulance Service said: “The police, fire, and ambulance services often work together, so running trauma simulation days give our respective apprentices the opportunity to work in partnership with their fellow emergency services colleagues. These training events give them the opportunity to develop team-working, decision-making, and patient care skills within their relevant scopes of practice.”
The paramedic apprentices who took part in the simulation day exercises are Year 1 students on the service’s three-year paramedic apprenticeship scheme which launched in 2021. The service currently has 61 apprentices as part of the scheme, with the next cohort to graduate from their courses in summer 2025.
Mr Cooper continued: “These examples of collaborative working provide learners from both services the chance to build important relationships with one another that will follow them throughout the rest of their careers. We’re glad to have been able to support County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service’s apprentices and look forward to working closely with them again in the future.”
Matt Potter, lead trainer for recruits at County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service said: “The students got experience in responding to and dealing with realistic training scenarios across a number of different environments. They were also able to showcase their skills in trauma care as fire service responders, obtain knowledge of the capabilities of NEAS staff and promote joint and interoperable working.”