Emergency care assistant

Alternative titles for this job include

Emergency care assistants support paramedics and drive ambulances under emergency conditions.

Average salary (a year)

£24,000 Starter

to

£29,000 Experienced

Typical hours (a week)

37 to 42 a week

You could work

evenings / weekends / bank holidays on shifts

How to become

Explore the different ways to get into this role.

How to become Emergency care assistant

You can get into this job through:

• a college course
• an apprenticeship
• applying directly

College

You could do a college course to give you some of the skills and knowledge you need to become an emergency care assistant.

You could do a level 2 certificate or level 3 diploma in health and social care. You could also do a T Level in Health.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course

• 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T Level

More Information

• equivalent entry requirements
• funding advice
• guide to T Levels
• search for courses

Apprenticeship

You could do an advanced ambulance support worker apprenticeship to become an emergency care assistant.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

More Information

• equivalent entry requirements
• guide to apprenticeships

Volunteering

You'll find it helpful to have some health or social care experience before applying for a job.

You could:

• get advice about volunteering in the NHS
• do first aid work with the British Red Cross or St John Ambulance
• find volunteering opportunities through The National Council for Voluntary Organisations and Do IT

Direct Application

You can apply directly to become an emergency care assistant. You'll usually need to:

• know the highway code and have experience driving
• have experience working in patient care, ideally in the NHS
• have a first aid certificate

Some ambulance services may ask you for 3 or 4 GCSEs, including English, maths and a science subject at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent.

You might need an extra driving qualification for larger vehicles and carrying passengers if you passed your test after 1996.

More Information

Further information

You can find out more about how to become an emergency care assistant from Health Careers.

What it takes

Find out what skills you’ll use in this role.

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

• sensitivity and understanding
• patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• customer service skills
• the ability to work well with others
• the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
• excellent verbal communication skills
• thinking and reasoning skills
• to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Restrictions and Requirements

You'll need to:

• have a full driving licence
• pass enhanced background checks
• have a good level of fitness

What you’ll do

Discover the day to day tasks you’ll do in this role.

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

In this role you could:

• drive to medical emergencies
• assess the risk to yourself and others and ask for more support if needed
• support the paramedic to carry out essential emergency care
• transfer patients into the ambulance and monitor their health
• record patient information and complete a handover report
• check and maintain the ambulance

Working environment

You could work in an NHS or private hospital or on an ambulance.

Your working environment may be physically and emotionally demanding.

You may need to wear a uniform and protective clothing.

Career path and progression

Look at progression in this role and similar opportunities.

Career path and progression

With experience and further study, you could apply to train as a paramedic. You could start by applying to become a trainee emergency medical technician or a student paramedic. You could then take an approved paramedic science degree.

You could also become a team leader or supervisor and be responsible for a team of emergency care assistants.

Current opportunities

Find apprenticeships, courses and jobs available near you.

Current opportunities

Apprenticeships In England

We can't find any apprenticeship vacancies in England for an Emergency care assistant right now.

The Find an apprenticeship service can help you with your search, send alerts when new apprenticeships become available and has advice on how to apply.

Courses In England

First Aid at Work

• Provider: CHICHESTER COLLEGE GROUP
• Start date: 23 April 2025
• Location: Crawley

Level 3 Award in Canine First Aid

• Provider: MOULTON COLLEGE
• Start date: 19 June 2025
• Location: Northampton

Find courses near you

Jobs In the United Kingdom

The Find a job service can help you with your search for jobs and send alerts when new jobs become available.

Not what you're looking for?

Related careers

• Emergency medical dispatcher
• Patient transport service controller
• Paramedic
• Ambulance care assistant

Skills assessment

Take an assessment to learn more about your skills and the careers that might suit you.

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