Emergency medical dispatcher
Send the right kind of help to people in medical emergencies. Get as much information as you can to the paramedics.
About the job
What it's like
You would be responsible for managing all emergency resources over a particular geographical area for the ambulance service.
You will need to send the right resource to the patient as quickly as possible.
You would pass on as much information as you can to the paramedics so that they will be as prepared as possible when they arrive at the patient.
You would be responsible for deciding what type of response is needed and send the nearest and most appropriate vehicle. This could be an ambulance, a rapid response car, a motorcycle or a paramedic helicopter.
You would need to work quickly and often under a lot of pressure.
You need to train as an emergency call handler before you can become an emergency dispatcher. Most jobs are in the National Health Service (NHS), working for the Scottish Ambulance Service.
The NHS salaries for these roles are covered by the Agenda for Change pay rates. You can check the salaries on the NHS Careers website.
Hours
You would work shifts, including evenings and weekends, providing cover 24 hours a day, seven days a week (including public holidays).
Environment
You would be based in a control room as part of a team, and you would work under a supervisor. This is a busy and often stressful job, but it can also be very rewarding.
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Healthcare
Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- making decisions
- developing a plan
- empathising
- questioning
- observation
- problem solving
- verbal communication
- listening
- cooperating
- resilience
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
Biology
Care
There are no formal qualifications required to get into the role but a good general education is valued.
Any qualifications and experiences that demonstrate understanding of the health sector, good administration and communication skills and the ability to remain calm under pressure, such as:
Scottish Vocational Qualification in Customer Services (SVQ Level 2/3)
You will need to undertake the Emergency call handler training before you can train to become an emergency dispatcher. To do this you must be able to type at a minimum of 30 words per minute.
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