We offer support for our supervisors and assessors, and have processes in place to help our Paramedic Science students succeed.
If you have a problem, the first thing you need to do is talk to the team. Highlighting it early is critical, as it allows us and you to put in place the support that students may need. If you feel a student is not performing at the required level, you can contact the dedicated person in your Trust.
For the East of England Ambulance Service this is the CPS Team:
For the London Ambulance Service this is timothy.bowler@lond-amb.nhs.uk
You can also contact the Hospital/Community Trust Education Champion for your organisation (PDF).
If you still have concerns, please see the Cause for Concern process below, which guides you through how to deal with student problems and alert the Practice Support Facilitators.
Download the Cause for concern form
The Cause for Concern process helps ARU to identify students requiring additional support and to liaise with the Education Champion/Clinical Practice Supervisors (CPS Team at EEAST or the Group PEd Lead at LAS). Together we offer the PEd support with supervision and mentoring of the student.
In ambulance placements, the PEd should ensure that the reason for writing this form is discussed with the student before following the links below and sending it to the Placement Support Facilitator (whose details you will find at the beginning of the PLL).
We will then arrange a meeting with the student and Education Champion/CPS team member/LAS Group PEd Lead to discuss the issues raised, agree a Development Action Plan and schedule a subsequent review.
If we identify that there are concerns which overlap with academic issues, pastoral care or dyslexia/disabilities, their Personal Tutor will be asked to address these issues with the student directly and sign-post them to relevant ARU Student Services.
Download the simple Cause for Concern flowchart (PDF)
We encourage PEds to consider writing Cause for Concern forms sooner rather than later during the student’s placement. This allows us to bring more resources and oversight of the student’s conduct or performance, as well as support you with your mentorship of them. During the student pre-placement briefing we emphasise to students that the Cause for Concern process is not intended to label them as a ‘struggling’ or ‘failing’ student, but to ensure that their learning and development is maximised during placement.
Download the detailed Cause for Concern process flowchart (PDF)
For any support using this process or completing the Cause for Concern form, please email Helena Fotiou and Rena Williams.