Training to drive an ambulance
Discussion
First a little background. My wife gave up her career a few years ago to look after our children. In a couple of years she is planning to re-train as a paramedic and build a new career (she never liked the first one much anyway). I believe she needs some sort of LGV qualification to drive an ambulance and I assume another test will be required to drive under blue lights.
It's her birthday in a couple of months and I thought it would be good to buy her some advanced driving lessons to help her prepare. Is there a course anyone would recommend? We are in the Winchester area if that is relevant.
It's her birthday in a couple of months and I thought it would be good to buy her some advanced driving lessons to help her prepare. Is there a course anyone would recommend? We are in the Winchester area if that is relevant.
Depends when she took her test. If her license is pre 1997 then she should have all she needs in order to be allowed to drive an Ambulance (as far as weight is concerned) as they're not heavy enough to be classed as what used to be called HGVs, the ones round my way are mercedes 416 spritner based so rated to 4/4.5 tonnes. Training varies depending on which NHS trust she'll be working for.
Most commercial driving schools will do what your'e after. A leftfield alternative is to hire a big campervan for a holiday as they're much the same size as a scrambulance.
Most commercial driving schools will do what your'e after. A leftfield alternative is to hire a big campervan for a holiday as they're much the same size as a scrambulance.
The licence requirement as stated above is right, if she passed before '97 she will have C1 and D1 on her licence, if not then that will need to be obtained before she can even do the application.
There is a national standard for driver training which consists of a 3 week residential course at the ambulance college of whichever service she joins and all (most) training done by in house trainers.
The training itself is a modified version of roadcraft and similar to what the IAM teach but obviously differs in the respect that it is "progressive" as opposed to "defensive" done by IAM and Ridedrive and the likes.
It would be worth doing the IAM or ROSPA course prior to applying because part of the interview process is a driving assessment and it would be obvious to the assessor if prior training had been undertaken and vastly increases chances of success, then of course there is the medical side of things which is another 7 weeks of classroom and practical assessments, then a year of probation , a time of consolidation of skills before going back to school for paramedic ticket,
Regards,
Gary
There is a national standard for driver training which consists of a 3 week residential course at the ambulance college of whichever service she joins and all (most) training done by in house trainers.
The training itself is a modified version of roadcraft and similar to what the IAM teach but obviously differs in the respect that it is "progressive" as opposed to "defensive" done by IAM and Ridedrive and the likes.
It would be worth doing the IAM or ROSPA course prior to applying because part of the interview process is a driving assessment and it would be obvious to the assessor if prior training had been undertaken and vastly increases chances of success, then of course there is the medical side of things which is another 7 weeks of classroom and practical assessments, then a year of probation , a time of consolidation of skills before going back to school for paramedic ticket,
Regards,
Gary
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