Qualified/Newly Qualified Paramedic

South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust; Exeter; On-site; GBP 31,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Preceptorship

Career progression

Car leasing

Staff networks

Discounts

Job summary

South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust in England is seeking Qualified or Newly Qualified Paramedics for Band 5/6 positions across Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire. The service offers a clear clinical career framework and a robust preceptorship to support development.

You will assess and treat patients in diverse locations, drive emergency vehicles with a C1 licence, and contribute to high-quality NHS care with opportunities to progress within the Band 6 pay scale.

Qualifications

• HCPC registered Paramedic with current registration.
• C1 driving licence in holder and evidenced.
• CERAD blue light driving qualification is required.

Responsibilities

• Assess, care, treat and transport patients as an operational practitioner across ambulances, response vehicles, patients’ homes and clinical settings.
• Work in a geographically diverse region including rural communities to deliver high-quality patient care.
• Operate with a full UK driving licence, evidencing a C1 pass before starting employment if not already held.
• Complete the funded Emergency Response Ambulance Driving course and undergo an assessment if already completed.

Education

HCPC registered Paramedic

C1 Driving Licence

CERAD Blue light Driving qualification

Job description

Employer South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire Town Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire Salary Band 5 for NQP, Band 6 for Qualified Closing 17/11/2026 23:59

Qualified/Newly Qualified Paramedic

NHS AfC: Band 5 & Band 6

Job overview

Join us and you’ll find an Ambulance Service that understands the better we look after you, the better equipped you’ll be to look after our patients. We listen and work with our staff to ensure a progressive, clinically advanced service which takes account of feedback, organisational learning and provides staff with the equipment and support necessary to help them fulfil their demanding roles.

Our commitment to supporting our staff is by our dedicated clinical career framework, which supports the career development of paramedics into specialist and/or managerial roles with many of our current staff in these roles having developed internally.

We offer an enhanced supportive preceptorship programme for NQP colleagues to help develop your confidence as an autonomous professional, and support your continuous learning.

If successful, your application will be placed into our holding pool awaiting a position. This vacancy is for positions in Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset & Wiltshire. We will not be accepting applications for BNSSG & Gloucestershire. Applicants must have C1 at the point of application.

This advert is for Qualified or Newly Qualified Paramedics and recent Paramedic Science graduates. If you are due to graduate in 2026 then you can apply for this advert. We will not be accepting applications for any graduates due to graduate from January 2027.

We are not able to accept applications for bank positions at this time.

Main duties of the job

Be responsible for the assessment, care, treatment and transportation of patients as an operational practitioner, working in a variety of locations such as ambulances, response vehicles, patients’ homes, primary care settings, minor injury units and accident and emergency departments.

Our diverse geography which includes some very remote rural communities has driven our ambition to equip all our staff with the training, support and skills they need to deliver a higher level of care, enabling more of our patients to be treated closer to home and resulting in the lowest conveyance rate across the Ambulance Sector.

You must hold a full UK driving licence, with no more than six points allowed for certain offences. If you do not currently hold the full C1 licence you can apply, however you must be able to evidence a C1 pass before commencing employment with the Trust.

As part of your offer of employment you will be provided with a funded Emergency Response Ambulance Driving course. If you have obtained this prior to application we will arrange for you to carry out an Emergency Response Ambulance Driving assessment with our local Driver Training team prior to starting.

‘This position is exempted from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. This means that you must declare all criminal convictions, including those that would otherwise be considered "spent" on a DBS Declaration Form available upon request.’

Working for our organisation

Working for us is an experience like no other. We provide emergency and urgent care, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, operating across the largest ambulance region in England of 10,000 square miles and responding to an average of 2,650 incidents every day.

We remain committed to ensuring that we provide the best possible care for all our patients, which is reflected in our new five-year strategy which has continually improving patient care at its very core.

At the heart of our beautiful and diverse region we employ over 6000 people and are supported by over 575 volunteers.

If you embody our values of one team, compassionate and innovative and are looking to make a real difference to peoples’ lives, then we would love to hear from you.

In return we will equip you with the skills, resources and development you need to thrive in your role.

You will have opportunities to progress to roles at a higher pay grade and enjoy continuous professional development.

• A standard working week of 37.5 hours
• Holiday entitlements of 27 days per year, plus general and public holidays, rising to 29 days after 5 years and 33 days after 10 years
• Pay enhancements for out of hours, shift and overtime working
• Career and salary progression
• Car leasing scheme (this is subject to your pay not falling below the National Living Wage)
• Staff networks
• Access to a wide range of discounts from various organisations across the UK

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For further information about this role please see attached the job description and person specification attached.

Person specification

Qualifications

• HCPC registered Paramedic
• C1 Driving Licence
• CERAD (Blue light Driving qualification)

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.