Funding enables training for the next generation of paramedics
The University of Bradford has received funding from longstanding supporters Sovereign Health Care for the purchase of essential resuscitation training equipment.
The equipment will form part of the new Emergency Care training suite at the University that the students will use on their Paramedic Science Honours degree course.
Sovereign Health Care, a leading health care cash plan provider, has donated over £35,000 through its Community Programme to purchase the equipment, which includes adult and child resuscitation manikins and monitors. The facilities will also be used by other Allied Health students such as those on Nursing, Critical Care and Advanced Practice courses.
Since 2016 the University, in collaboration with the Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS), has been supporting the need for more high quality emergency care professionals entering the ambulance service through a one-of-a-kind Paramedic Science Honours degree course.
This pioneering course trains 40 students per year in Paramedic theory and cross-disciplinary clinical practice skills. The Paramedic Science students’ practice and knowledge is consolidated whilst on placements and whilst working in a salaried frontline clinical role on a placement year with the Yorkshire Ambulance Service.
Dr Pam Bagley, Dean of the Faculty of Health Studies said: “We would like to thank Sovereign Health Care for this generous donation which will enable us to provide essential equipment for our students.
“We are extremely proud to offer this pioneering course in collaboration with Yorkshire Ambulance Service and play our part in tackling the shortage of paramedics in the region.”
Sovereign Health Care chief executive, Russ Piper, said: “There is a real demand for emergency health care professionals not only in Bradford, but across the UK, and it’s a pleasure to show our support to the University of Bradford with a donation towards vital training equipment for its students.
“The adult and child resuscitation manikins and monitors will ensure students receive the high-quality training they require to work with the Yorkshire Ambulance Service, so we’re pleased to be able to help bring this educational resource to the region.”
In response to the chronic shortage of highly-trained Paramedics in our region and building on the success of the course to date, the University will bring the practical skills training, currently taught at Yorkshire Ambulance Service Manor Mill facility, into a space within the Faculty of Health Studies building. When redeveloped it will be a flexible clinical and critical care skills teaching space and classroom facility, with the capacity to accommodate a larger intake of students in the future.
The space is due to be ready by September 2020