EMDC
The Scottish Ambulance Service has three Emergency Medical Dispatch Centres located in Inverness, Edinburgh and Cardonald offering career opportunities in a number of roles.
All posts in this area require the completion and satisfactory clearance of an Standard Disclosure Scotland check.
Emergency Call Handler
Emergency call handlers provide the first link in patient care through the effective registration of emergency and urgent calls and the appropriate use of pre-arrival advice and reassurance to the public, NHS stakeholders and the Emergency Services.
If you’ve been in an emergency, you’ll know that the 999 call is answered promptly and professionally. But have you ever thought about what actually happens at the other end of that emergency line?
Our Emergency Call Handlers are critical in allowing us to provide life-saving advice and assistance. They are the first point of contact for the public and are responsible for prioritising each call, providing first aid and medical advice over the telephone when necessary and liaising with the ambulance crew on route to the emergency.
It’s a great job, with unique rewards. To succeed, you need to have a special combination of skills, personality and experience, but for those who do, it’s immensely satisfying and enjoyable.
A full training package is provided on appointment to the role.
How to apply: Details of vacancies for Emergency Call Handlers, along with an application pack, are advertised in the current vacancies page on this site. To apply, you will need to fill in the application form in the pack, which also contains other documents providing more information about the role.
Entry Requirements: Minimum accurate typing speed of 35 works per minute.
Selection Process: Competency based application form, audio and copy typing tests, PC based spelling test, PC based Information processing exercise, call simulation tests, telephone and face-to-face interview.
When filling out your application, you must ensure you clearly evidence how you meet the requirements for the role. If you are shortlisted for a vacancy you will be invited to attend an interview. A letter confirming these details will be sent out prior to the interview advising you of all the relevant details.
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Emergency Medical Dispatcher
Dispatchers are responsible for ensuring that the nearest and most appropriate vehicles and crews are sent to Emergency and Urgent Calls. This is achieved using a Priority Based Dispatch system and other protocols and strategies to maintain the optimum use of the resources available. The Dispatcher must be able to make fast and accurate judgements on which is the most appropriate resource which will be able to meet respond to any call.
Not all calls are life-threatening but as an emergency medical dispatcher the way you listen and interpret each call will make a vital difference to the response our patients receive.
A full training package is provided on appointment to the role.
How to apply: Details of vacancies for Emergency Medical Dispatchers, along with an application pack, are advertised in the current vacancies page on this site. To apply, you will need to fill in the application form in the pack, which also contains other documents providing more information about the role.
Entry Requirements: Minimum accurate typing speed of 35 works per minute.
Selection Process: Competency based application form, audio and copy typing tests, PC based spelling test, PC based information processing exercise, call simulation tests, telephone, PC based logical reasoning test and face-to-face interview.
When filling out your application, you must ensure you clearly evidence how you meet the requirements for the role. If you are shortlisted for a vacancy you will be invited to attend an interview. A letter confirming these details will be sent out prior to the interview advising of all the relevant details.
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Paramedic Clinical Advisor
Paramedics Clinical Advisers provide full time cover within the Emergency Medical Dispatch Centres.
Their role is to assist with the triage of 999 calls and provide additional clinical advice. Clinical Advisers are also able to establish the next steps a patient should take particularly where there is no requirement for an ambulance crew to assist. The Clinical Adviser also liaises with other professionals within the NHS Scotland regarding the appropriate time frames for the transfer of patients.
The intervention of the Clinical Advisers ultimately helps the Service provide better outcomes for patients by ensuring the most appropriate care is provided based on patient need and that the resources available are fully utilised. To ensure Clinical Advisers are able to maintain their Paramedic skills time will also be spent on the road as vehicle crew.
How to apply: Details of vacancies for Paramedic Clinical Advisors, along with an application pack, are advertised in the current vacancies page on this site. To apply, you will need to fill in the application form in the pack, which also contains other documents providing more information about the role.
Entry Requirements: Qualified Paramedic and minimum accurate typing speed of 35 works per minute.
Selection Process: Audio and copy typing tests, PC based spelling test, PC based information processing exercise, call simulation tests, telephone and face-to-face Interview.
When filling out your application, you must ensure you clearly evidence how you meet the requirements for the role. If you are shortlisted for a vacancy you will be invited to attend an interview. A letter confirming these details will be sent out prior to the interview advising of all the relevant details.
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