Qualified Paramedic

The National Risk and Resilience Department (NRRD) are currently seeking applications from enthusiastic, flexible and motivated individuals with a genuine interest in developing new skills for positions as Paramedics within the full-time Special Operations Response Teams. The purpose of SORT is to save life, increase survival, improve clinical outcomes and enhance patient and staff safety through the provision of specialist paramedical care.

SORT has been trained and equipped to extend the reach of the NHS into challenging and high-risk environments. To provide direct access to patients, undertake clinical assessment, triage, initial treatment and extrication whilst operating in circumstances where no other responding agency is able to provide clinical care and no other professional health care intervention is available, and so ensure a smooth transition for patients from the point of injury into wider NHS care.

The Teams also attend around 9000 emergency calls annually. SORT Paramedics must be HCPC registered must be HCPC registered with a minimum of 2 years frontline experience post NQP period at the close of application. Demonstrate significant frontline experience and maintain a high level of clinical competency. Additional duties include support to multi agency operations and potential major incidents. SORT paramedics are also required to undertake the following operational duties as part of their role:

• Hazardous materials
• CBRN
• MTA
• Safe working at height
• Confined Space
• Unstable terrain
• Water operations
• Support to security operations (Tactical medical operations e.g. Firearms)

All SORT posts are also required to undertake additional organisational support duties, which include crewing the SORT Response Units (SRUs). SORT personnel must also undertake continual specialist training to maintain their skills. This will give candidates an educationally ratified qualification in SOAR response. Although the qualification is internationally recognised it is currently unique to NRRD / SORT and our education partner Qual Safe UK.

This is currently not available via any other route. Further information on this can be obtained from Deputy Head of Specialist Training on alasdairgordon.huntert. The above courses require you to reach and maintain a minimum standard of fitness for which assessments will be carried out on an annual basis. This includes maintaining the minimum and maximum weight requirements of 60kg to 120kg for PPE.

SORT personnel must also achieve and maintain Security Check (SC) level security clearance. Maintenance of these skills is a pre‑requisite for continued employment within SORT.

• Due to operational limitations, applications cannot be considered from persons that fall out with the height range of 160cm - 200cm, or the Scottish Ambulance Services upper safe working limit for staff wearing PPE of 120kg and the lower limit of 60kg, this includes a minimum footwear size of 5 and a maximum of 14.
• There will be a requirement to undertake and pass the SORT Paramedic Physical Competency Assessment (PCA) and swim test, these are detailed in the recruitment pack.
• Due to changes to the Physical Competency Assessment previous PCA's passed within the last 12 months are not valid on this recruitment cycle. Shortlisted candidates are required to complete all elements of the recruitment process.
• In addition to the usual pre‑employment checks, as this role requires you to deal with sensitive information, you will be required to undergo additional security vetting.
• Please note shortlisted candidates should be available for the PCA process on the dates 20th to the 22nd of November and this will be held at East SORT Newbridge.

For these posts we are looking for flexible individuals with a can‑do approach who have excellent people skills. You will have developed communication skills, both oral and written. It is vitally important that you are be able to demonstrate the ability to work to a high standard using your own initiative and be able to work alongside other Paramedics and often the initial wider operational response to incidents on behalf of the Scottish Ambulance Service.

Applications for the SORT Paramedic positions are invited from HCPC registered Paramedics must be HCPC registered with a minimum of 2 years frontline experience post NQP period at the close of application. Previous experience of SORT / CBRN / NBC operations would be advantageous, but not essential, as comprehensive…