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.
The Role
SORT Paramedics must be HCPC registered and must have 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.
The Person
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 training will be given.
Important – Please Note
Appointments to SORT are made on the understanding that individuals attend and successfully complete the Special Operations Ambulance Response (SOAR) course.
The following courses are part of the SOAR course:
- CBRNe Responder Course.
- Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) Course
- NxGen CBRN PPE Course
- Incident Response Unit Course
- Support to police tactical firearms operations
- ATV course
- Safe Working at Heights/Confined space and unstable terrain courses
- Swift Water rescue technician course
The Special Operations Ambulance Response (SOAR) course is Level 6 Certificate (Scottish equivalent Level 9) qualification encompassing all the listed courses plus some additional activity. Currently valued at 30 academic points. Approved by UK OFQUAL. A follow-on diploma is currently under development to add an additional 30 points (60 in total). It will involve some academic writing, but students will be fully supported during the process.
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 QualSafe 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.hunter@nhs.scot.
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.
To work in the United Kingdom, there is a legal requirement for an individual to demonstrate that they have the relevant permission to work in the country. This permission is, without exception, granted by the UK Visa and Immigrations Service.
As part of the pre-employment checks for a preferred candidate, NHS Scotland Boards will check your entitlement to work in the UK. It can be evidenced through a number of routes including specific types of visa as well as EU settled and pre-settled status. To find out more about these routes of permission, please refer to the GOV.UK website.
Please note that The Scottish Ambulance Service is NOT licensed to issue certificates of sponsorship under current UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) regulations. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK without requiring sponsorship to work with us.
NHS Scotland is committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce and eliminating unlawful discrimination. The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best. To this end, NHS Scotland welcomes applications from all sections of society.
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