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Ambulance Care Assistants or Patient Transport Service (PTS) Drivers take patients to and from hospital for appointments including disabled, elderly, sick or vulnerable people to and from outpatient clinics, day care centres and routine hospital admissions.
You will be responsible for looking after your passengers and, because many of them will be in poor health, you will also need life-saving skills in case there is a medical emergency. As well as driving, Ambulance Care Assistants and PTS Drivers also lift and help patients in and out of the vehicle. You will make sure patients are safe and comfortable during the journey and arrive on time for their appointment.
Some of your passengers may be anxious about their hospital visit and others will lead isolated lives so will value your reassuring manner and the chance to chat. You will often see the same people on a regular basis and get to know them.
There are no set entry requirements to become an Ambulance Care Assistant/Patient Transport Service (PTS) Driver. Most employers expect good standards of literacy and numeracy. Some may ask for qualifications such as GCSEs, NVQs or equivalent. Some employers may look for relevant work experience. Even where this is not specified, it would be an advantage if you have worked with elderly or disabled people, either in paid employment or voluntary work. To drive a non-emergency ambulance you need a full, manual driving licence. Most employers expect you to have a driving licence when you apply. Although you do not need a specific Health and Social Care qualification for this role there are many local education providers who offer a wide variety of relevant qualifications.
We'd love to hear from you. If you'd like to talk to us about apprenticeships and traineeships, email hyp-tr.apprentices@nhs.net
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