South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust

Serving in the Military develops leadership values and builds teamwork skills, as well as the ability to improvise in difficult circumstances; all of which are essential to working with the ambulance service.

The South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) is seeking compassionate, caring and committed individuals to use advanced driving skills and provide support to our dedicated team of paramedics attending accidents and sudden illnesses to join our holding pool as emergency care assistants.

We recognise that Service-leavers offer great transferable skills and an aptitude for working in a dynamic and diverse environment, making them perfect for a role with SWASFT. 

Focus
Our core operations focus is the delivery of emergency ambulance 999 services (A&E). We have 94 ambulance stations, two clinical control rooms, six air ambulance bases and two hazardous area response teams (HART). The Trust provides the clinical teams for six air ambulances (two in Devon, one in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, one shared across Dorset and Somerset, one in Wiltshire and one based near Bristol).

SWASFT has responsibility for the provision of emergency ambulance 999 services across the largest land area of any ambulance service in the UK, covering 10,000 square miles across the counties of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and the former Avon area (Bristol, Bath, North and North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire). Serving a total population of over 5.5 million with an estimated influx of over 23 million visitors each year, we employ over 4,000 mainly clinical and operational staff (including paramedics, emergency care assistants, advanced technicians, specialist paramedics and nurse practitioners) plus GPs and around 2,785 volunteers (including community first responders, BASICS doctors and fire co-responders). 

We are committed to promoting equal opportunities across everything we do from employment and training and providing services, to our engagement and decision making. We welcome diversity and look for self-motivated, enthusiastic people from all backgrounds who care about making a difference, because working for the ambulance service is not just any job. It takes remarkable people to do what our staff and volunteers do day in, day out, to care for those who need us the most.

Our pledge
In December 2021, SWASFT signed the Armed Forces Covenant – a pledge that we acknowledge and understand that those who Serve or who have Served in the Armed Forces, and their families, should be treated with fairness and respect in the communities, economy and society they Serve with their lives. SWASFT CEO Will Warrender comments: “We are committed to upholding the key principles of the Covenant which recognise the value Serving Regulars and Reservists, Veterans, and Military families contribute to our organisation.”

With Veteran Aware accreditation, we pride ourselves on the support we offer to Veterans and Service-leavers. Veteran Aware accreditation confirms NHS trusts as exemplars of the provision of the best care for Veterans and their families, to ensure that they are not disadvantaged in the care they receive. This is bolstered by the support offered through our dedicated in-house wellbeing provision, the Staying Well Service, ensuring all of our people have access to the support they need to stay emotionally, physically and socially well.