Ambulance care assistant

Ambulance care assistants deal with the routine, non-emergency transport of patients to and from hospital. Patients are often older adults or people with disabilities.

Also known as:

Patient transport service (PTS) driver

Work activities

Ambulance care assistants work on the non-emergency side of the ambulance service. They transport patients to and from hospitals, day centres and clinics for routine appointments. They work in the non-emergency service, known as the patient transport service or PTS. The patients are usually older adults or people with disabilities. However, ambulance care assistants work with any type of patient, including those with mental health problems and dementia. Ambulance care assistants usually drive specially designed vehicles with tail-lifts, although they might also pick up patients in a car. They start each day at the ambulance station or unit. They stay in touch with the control room by radio all day, so the control room staff know where they are and can give them instructions.

They are responsible for patients’ welfare throughout the journey, being able to lift, move and drive them safely and in comfort. They also have to reassure anxious patients, gently explain the situation to patients who are confused, and generally treat each person in a way that enables them to keep their dignity. Sometimes, they might have to gently persuade patients to leave their homes, or to leave the ambulance at the end of the journey. They might need to lift some patients from wheelchairs. Ambulance care assistants must be very skilled in moving and handling techniques, using special equipment when needed. Care assistants have first aid and basic life-support skills, in case they need to use these while they are driving patients. The assistant has to check, clean and disinfect the ambulance and restock any supplies. They have to keep up-to-date incident and patient records.

Personal qualities and skills

To be an ambulance care assistant, you’ll need:

The ability to get on with people from all backgrounds.
To be friendly and caring.
A strong sense of responsibility.
Communication skills, for example, to talk to patients, hospital staff and representatives of other organisations, such as social services.
Patience, sensitivity and tact.
The ability to reassure anxious patients and explain what’s happening to patients who are confused.
Quick, calm reactions in emergency situations.
Physical fitness because this is an active job.
The ability to use maps and follow directions easily.

You must have a full manual driving licence. If you passed your driving test after 1996, you may need to take an extra driving qualification.

Pay and opportunities

Ambulance care assistants start on band 2 of the NHS Agenda for Change payscale, earning £22,383. You may start on band 3 (£22,816) depending on the trust. There will be the opportunity to rise through the payscale with service.

Ambulance care assistants usually work 37.5 hours a week, Monday to Friday. You may have the option of working outside these hours.

Employers are NHS and private health company ambulance services. Opportunities for ambulance care assistants occur in towns and cities throughout the UK.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies are advertised on the NHS Jobs website, on job boards, on the Government’s Find a Job service, and in local newspapers.

Entry routes and training

The local ambulance service trusts in England and the national services in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each set their own entry requirements. All applicants must have a full manual driving licence. All entrants must pass a medical examination.

Ambulance care assistants in the NHS have a training course:

Learning moving and handling techniques.
First aid.
Basic patient care skills.
Safe driving techniques.

There are assessments and exams. After your training, you will usually work closely with your supervisor to start with, before starting to work unsupervised.

You could take further training to become an emergency care assistant. Then, after more training, experience and entrance exams, it might be possible to apply for a student paramedic position.

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act: This career is an exception to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. This means that you must supply information to an employer about any spent or unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings, if they ask you to. This is different from other careers, where you only have to reveal information on unspent convictions if you are asked to.

Qualifications

Each local or national ambulance service trust sets its own entry requirements. Many ambulance trusts ask for some GCSEs or similar qualifications at level 2. It should also help if you can show relevant skills and knowledge gained through work experience. You must have a full manual driving licence.

Adult opportunities

Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Some entrants have relevant work experience and/or qualifications in areas such as health and care services.

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