NHS Ayrshire & Arran
Trainee Ambulance Care Assistants
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We are currently recruiting Trainee Ambulance Care Assistants (ACA) in the Scottish Borders.
As an ACA, you will be responsible for delivering high quality care and safe transportation for non-emergency patients from their homes to hospital and clinic appointments, inter-hospital transfers and discharge of patients from hospital. In addition, there may be a requirement to support the A&E Service by transporting suitable patients, referred on the day by GPs to Assessment units, and underpin the A&E Service at Major Incidents/accidents.
You must therefore have excellent interpersonal and communication skills, be a team player and be able to engage with a range of people who are often at their most vulnerable. This is a key role, offering a vital service to the people of Scotland. You will work an average of 36 hours per week which will include weekend, evening and public holiday working. Part-time applicants will also be considered.
The successful applicants for these posts will be enrolled on our bespoke clinical training programme and will be an employee of the Scottish Ambulance Service from the date of commencement. The training programme is initially conducted at one of our Regional Education Centres and will lead to a Level 3 Certificate in Ambulance Patient Care – Non-Urgent Care Service. This includes a recognised driving module. Following initial training you will be posted to your allocated Ambulance Station where other qualified staff will mentor you, in addition to ongoing learning support from the Education Team to complete the course portfolio.
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Applicants should have achieved passes in Standard Grade/’O’ grade / Nat 4 or equivalent in both English and Maths and possess a full driving license with no more than 3 penalty points prior to applying. In addition, successful candidates will require to have category C1 on their license 6 weeks’ prior to their start date.
Due to course date restraints, preference will be given to candidates who already possess category C1 on their driving license. These categories can be found on the front of your driving licence.
Candidates who do not possess C1 may have the opportunity to be placed in a holding pool for future course dates if successful.
As part of the selection process, you will require to undertake a fitness test and interview, full details of which will be sent to you if you are successful at the application shortlisting stage.
We offer a training salary of £23,557 pro rata per annum rising to £29,103 pro rata upon successful completion of the training programme. This will further increase to £31,409 with increments in line with Agenda for Change.
Informal enquiries are welcomed and can be made to our Team Leaders via sas.bordersptstl@sas.nhs.scot or Mark Borthwick, Area Service Manager markwilliam.borthwick@nhs.scot
To work in the United Kingdom
There is a legal requirement for an individual to demonstrate that they have the relevant permission to work in the country. This permission is, without exception, granted by the UK Visa and Immigration Service.
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As part of the pre-employment checks for a preferred candidate, NHS Scotland Boards will check your entitlement to work in the UK. It can be evidenced through a number of routes including specific types of visa as well as EU settled and pre-settled status. To find out more about these routes of permission, please refer to the GOV.UK website here.
Please note that The Scottish Ambulance Service is NOT licensed to issue certificates of sponsorship under current UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) regulations. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK without requiring sponsorship to work with us.
Due to legislative changes from 1 April 2025, this post may require a different level of criminal records check done than is currently the case. If the post is assessed as a "regulated role", your appointment will be subject to joining the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme. If there is any change to what is currently required, this will be confirmed by either the Hiring Manager or the Recruitment Team. For more details on these changes please visit: Disclosure Scotland Changes.
NHS Scotland is committed to encouraging equality and diversity
The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best. To this end, NHS Scotland welcomes applications from all sections of society.
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