Qualified Emergency Care Assistant (ECA)

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Job Description

Current vacancies at our Crawley, Winchester, Worthing and Peterborough bases for NHS 999 Frontline shifts for full time and self employed staff. IHCD/FQ Emergency Driving and Clean C1 Licence preferred.

An Emergency Care Assistant (ECA) holds a FREC 4 qualification (Or equivalent national award) working in the patient transport area, event medical cover and responds to emergency calls as part of an accident and emergency crew, utilising the enhanced skills and procedures that they have been trained and is within the company scope of practice policy to carry out. They need to be the lead clinician in the absence of a higher clinical grade but seek support. Monitor and treat patients safely and observe patient vital signs. Provide and take relevant information from carers or others at the scene for onward transmission to further care.

Hours:
In accordance with the EU work time directive

Location:
All Sites

Contract Type:
Full Time, Part Time and Zero Hours

Shift pattern:
Various Shifts including days, nights and weekends.

Based at one of our sites in Sussex and Hampshire, they work shifts, going out in all weathers at all hours, sometimes working in difficult conditions such as in confined spaces and on the strategic road network.

You will find that no two shifts will be the same. They could be transferring patients to out patient appointments, a sick child to a specialist centre or attending trauma cases at an event.

ECAs drive a range of ambulance vehicles under normal and emergency (blue light) circumstances and carry out checks to vehicles at the start of and during each shift, to make sure they are clean, have fuel and are appropriately stocked.

They need to know how to use all of the medical and life support equipment carried on vehicles that is appropriate to their skill level, and how to assist a qualified EMT or Paramedic.

A key responsibility of the ECA is to make sure that equipment is carefully stored, transported and cared for so that it is always in good working order.

They also need to complete relevant documentation, be familiar with and use communication equipment (including radios and telephones) to inform colleagues about the work they are dealing with.

ECAs will need to work effectively as part of a larger team of people, including other operational personnel (such as supervisors and managers), other healthcare staff (such as Nurses & Doctors) and representatives from other emergency services – including the Fire, Police & Coastguard services.

These are some of the essential criteria you will need to be successful as an ECA:

Hold a minimum of FPOSe or FREC Level 4 qualification.
A valid full B (Preferably C1) category driving licence with no more than 3 penalty points or any short period disqualification.
IHCD or FutureQuals D1 & D2 Emergency Driving qualification (or equivalent).
Ability to communicate effectively.
Ability to make decisions, take responsibility and respond to a changing workload.
Ability to remain calm while working under pressure.
Ability to work within a Team environment and alone.
Excellent Customer Service / People Skills.
Flexible approach to work and shift work.

Click here to apply online

How To Apply

Completing the application form

When completing your application please show us how your experience and personal qualities meet the person specification for the post.

Please ensure you complete all the sections of the form in full giving as much detail as possible and you are welcome to submit your up to date curriculum vitae and/or a support statement. Please note CVs will not be accepted without a completed application form.

Supporting information statement

The supporting information statement should clearly identify how you meet the person specification. Bear in mind that the supporting statement is the key opportunity to sell yourself. Consider using the person specification and referring to your experience to evidence your suitability. Without this information the panel will not be able to shortlist you.

References

If you are or have been employed, these MUST include your last 5 yrs of employment, your line manager or HR department who can comment on your work experience, competence, personal qualities and suitability for the post.

If you are a student please provide contact details of a teacher at your school, college or university.

If you have not been in employment for a considerable amount of time but have had previous employment, then you should seek one reference from your last known employer and a personal reference from a person of some standing within your community i.e. doctor, solicitor, MP etc.

Where it is not possible to obtain any employer reference at all then please obtain two personal references. Please state the names and contact details including e mail, of any personal referees who have agreed to supply references.

Where no personal reference can be obtained then references should be sought from personal acquaintances not related to or involved in any financial arrangement with you. If you have undergone training to return to work, then the academic institution should be contacted.

Personal references such as friends and relatives are not acceptable unless stated previously.

Please note, all reference requests will be sought, and employment history verified through the Company’s Human Resources/Personnel Department or equivalents therefore, please ensure that you provide their full contact details.

Referees will be contacted prior to acceptance onto any training course.

Closing date for applications

Please note that we reserve the right to close vacancies when we have received sufficient numbers of applications.

Medi4 believe that no job applicant or employee should be discriminated against either directly or indirectly. It is committed to equal opportunities and welcomes all candidates to apply for its posts.

All information provided will be treated in a manner which complies with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR): it may be used for purposes of determining your suitability for the post in question and for the purposes of enquiries in relation to the prevention and detection of fraud. The information will only be stored for as long as is necessary. In the case of successful candidate’s documentation will be stored on the HR file. All information will be kept securely and in confidence.

Regrettably we must advise that should it be identified that there has been a provision of false information/ key information has been omitted during the recruitment and selection process, there is a risk of either disqualification from the recruitment process, or if the individual has started in post then there could be a risk of action under the Company’s Disciplinary procedure.

Recruitment and Selection Process

All candidates will be notified of the outcome of their application. There is a structured short listing process where candidate’s accounts of their achievements, as detailed in their application form, are rated by managers.

The highest-ranking applicants will be invited to attend an assessment this day involves the following:

An introduction to Medi4 Ambulance Services Ltd
Discuss the role & job description
Discuss the terms & conditions
Numeracy & literacy test
Highway code & Traffic signs test
Lifting & Handling Assessment
Spoken English test
Practical leadership task
Driving licence physical check
DVLA online check https://www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence
Eyesight test https://www.gov.uk/driving-eyesight-rules
Driving assessment

If successful:

Manager Interview

For Pre-qualified operational staff

You will be additionally asked to complete the following:

Skills mapping of your qualifications to the appropriate Medi4 operational ambulance grade
Physical check of current CPD file and Certification
A multi choice clinical exam (Based on your clinical grade)
Practical OSCE’s
- Life Support (BLS,ILS or ALS)
- Clinical examination
- Incident scenario
- Equipment stations

On the day we will size you for uniform, Take your Identity Card Photograph and prepare your DBS enhanced check (This will require you to provide your physical evidence to be seen by the HR representative) https://www.gov.uk/guidance/documents-the-applicant-must-provide

If selected for appointment you will be subject to checks on health, References both employment & character and other matters before an appointment can be confirmed.

Interview Process

Interview panel and interview

You will be interviewed by a panel which will consist of a minimum of two people normally a manager and supervisor. You should be introduced to the panel members at the start of the interview. All questions will be relevant to the post in question and the complexity of questions will be based upon the level of the post. Notes are taken at interview to assist the panel in coming to a final decision.

Post Interview

If you are successful, you will need to complete a package of mandatory suite of e learning courses and attend an initial skills course for the appropriate role which will be a pass fail.

Lastly you will attend an induction at your base. This will be completed by your supervisor and you will be introduced to your mentor. There will be a period where you will work with your mentor who will help you in your first few weeks in the company. We will at this point enrol you onto the NVQ level 2 programme for customer service

You will have a 6-month probationary period which you must successfully complete.

I will need to recreate pictures of the following: