Emergency Care Assistant

Job Description:

As an Emergency Care Assistant (ECA), you will work alongside a clinically qualified practitioner responding to high-acuity hospital transfers and potentially 999 emergency calls. You will attend a wide range of accident and emergency cases, sometimes covering considerable distances, operating in both routine and emergency driving conditions to reach the scene quickly and safely.

Your core responsibilities include:

• Supporting clinical practitioners in delivering high-quality patient care in unscheduled and emergency environments.
• Transporting patients safely to designated locations as directed by dispatch.
• Performing essential emergency care under clinician supervision, including:
• Controlling severe bleeding
• Treating wounds, fractures, and spinal injury cases
• Monitoring patients in the rear of an ambulance only when no advanced treatment is being administered, except medication in line with Medicines Management policy.
• Requesting the vehicle is safely stopped immediately if a patient deteriorates and handing over care to the supervising clinician.
• Reporting concerns to dispatch promptly when working without a clinician to determine the next clinical steps (e.g., backup request, RV point, ED attendance).
• Driving smoothly and safely in accordance with:
• Traffic regulations
• Ambulance driving training standards
• The Highway Code
• Maintaining communication with ambulance control and dispatch at all times.
• Ensuring timely and accurate report writing and record keeping.
• Maintaining, cleaning, and restocking ambulance vehicles, ensuring legal and roadworthy condition with required clinical supplies.
• Following company Codes of Conduct, confidentiality policies, and safeguarding procedures.
• Providing courteous assistance and reassurance to patients, relatives, visitors, and members of the public during serious or large-scale incidents.
• Being flexible to work across multiple bases, in all weather conditions, 24/7 operational rotas, including motorways and confined spaces.
• Undertaking any other reasonable duties requested by the company.

Entry Requirements:

• Proven experience in patient-facing or public-facing care roles.
• Valid UK Full B category driving licence with no more than 6 penalty points.
• No more than 6 driving penalty points.
• Strong knowledge of the Highway Code (tested at assessment).
• Good observation, communication and decision-making skills in challenging environments.
• Valid certifications required:
• First Response Emergency Care Level 4 (FREC 4)
• IHCD Ambulance Driving or Certificate in Emergency Response Ambulance Driving Level 3 (CERAD 3)
• Minimum education requirement:
• Maths, English, and one other GCSE at grade C or above or equivalent.
• Working knowledge of patient care pathways and equipment handling.
• Security awareness and compliance mindset.
• This role requires an enhanced CRB/DBS check and annual appraisal.
• Holding an in-date safeguarding qualification at the appropriate clinical level for the role.

Benefits:

• Competitive pay package.
• 20 days annual leave + bank holidays (pro-rata).
• Free uniform.
• NEST pension scheme.
• Statutory sick pay (SSP).
• Ongoing training and professional development.
• Team-focused, inclusive and supportive working environment.
• Opportunities to work across PTS, HDU, and 999 emergency services.
• Career progression opportunities within ZAM FM.

How to Apply:

Interested candidates are invited to submit their resume and a cover letter outlining relevant experience, clinical qualifications, patient care exposure, and driving credentials.

ZAM FM is an equal opportunity employer, committed to diversity, inclusion, safeguarding and upholding GDPR and Caldicott principles in all operations.

Experience:

• Patient or emergency care role – 1 year (required)

Language:

• English (required)

Licence/Certification Required:

• UK Driving Licence – B category (required)
• FREC 4 (required)
• IHCD or CERAD 3 (required)
• DBS/CRB (processed by employer)
• Safeguarding (required, must be in-date)

Licence/Certification Preferred:

• First Aid Certification (preferred if not included in FREC 4)

Work Location: On the road

Regions Covered: Slough

Shift Pattern: 24/7 rota (base-dependent schedules)

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time, Permanent, Fixed term contract, Zero hours contract

Benefits:

• Company pension
• Flexitime

Language:

• English (required)

Licence/Certification:

• Driving Licence (required)
• First Response Emergency Care Level 4 (FREC4) Cerificate (required)
• Emergency Response Ambulance Driving Level 3 (CERAD 3) (required)

Work Location: On the road