TheÊÊprogramme offered by the Êcovers both prehospital care and retrieval, including the management of critically ill patients requiring level 3 inter-hospital transfer. It is intended for experienced healthcare professionals who wish to formalise and develop their practice, and will require learners to develop within credible practice settings.Ê

The course is intended to be challenging, and will require learners to demonstrate proficiency in targeted clinical assessment, rapid diagnostics, therapeutics, and clinical management in the prehospital environment. In addition, learners will require to be proficient in assisting with the management of level 3 patients, which means a need to demonstrate knowledge and skills in invasive ventilation, invasive haemodynamic monitoring and support, and interpretation of investigations.

Careers

Within Wales

• The Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service (EMRTS) Cymru is a unique collaborative venture providing critical care in the prehospital environment and during interhospital transfers. The service is supported by NHS Wales, and by the Wales Air Ambulance Charity.

• The response model involves a mix of consultant delivered care, and care delivered by Critical Care Practitioners (CCPs). EMRTS CCPs are committed to a programme of advanced study, supported by a competency framework covering the full range of assessment and treatment in the prehospital and retrieval environment.

• This programme is being developed specifically to support the requirements of EMRTS Cymru.

Outside Wales

• We expect that a practitioner with this qualification will be in a competitive position to apply for employment in any HEMS service in the UK and abroad. HEMS practice is in a situation of active development currently, and employment opportunities for well-trained practitioners are numerous, but competitive.