Ride along shifts with GWAA Critical Care Team Paramedic Cars and Medical Car

As there is a wide diversity of experience in pre-hospital experience amongst members there will be the opportunity to undertake ride along shifts with either the Paramedic Cars or Medical car of the Great Western Air Ambulance. There are alot more shifts available on the paramedic cars.

The critical care team paramedic cars are manned by experienced paramedics and are tasked to the most serious incidents with similar call out criteria to the air ambulance. They will also respond as a paramedic car to category A calls (potentially life threatening illnesses/injuries) in the vicinity of the car. 

The medical car tends not to respond to category A calls. This means that you will go to less jobs while on the medical car and a significant time on the shift is spent on standby. Members with appropriate in-hospital and pre-hospital experience will be given priority on shifts on the medical car in the first instance.

Before attending a ride along shift you are requied to read complete the attached "GWAS Ride-along policy", with the supervising paramedic / doctor. If you are doing the ride along shift as part of the BASICS group you don't need to write the essay it talks about (this is the standard ride along policy for all ride alongs within GWAS)

If you are interested in a ride along please contact the Pete Sadler (GWAA Critical Care Paramedic) and your name will be added to the list.

At the end of each shift the paramedic / doctor on shift with you will complete a feedback for with you, to help find areas for development and review your progress.  - Ride along form. You will be given a copy of this form for your portfolio and a copy will be kept on file in the air base.

For more details of the of the ride along shifts, please click here