Emergency Care Assistant

Emergency Care Assistant

Emergency Care Assistants (ECA), are a new role in the frontline staff on NHS emergency ambulances within the United Kingdom, introduced as part of modernisation of the NHS ambulance services to cut costs. Having only been created in 2006, the role is evolving rapidly, and has not been standardised over the country, but will usually consist of assisting qualified paramedics and emergency medical technicians with their duties, although this is not always the case in exceptional circumstances.

Emergency care assistants (ECAs) respond to emergency calls as part of an accident and emergency crew or at times as a first responder, using skills and procedures that they have been trained and directed to do. They need to help move patients safely and observe patient vital signs and provide and take relevant information from carers or others at the scene.

Based at a local ambulance station or at a large hospital as part of a team, they work shifts, going out in all weathers at all hours, sometimes working in difficult conditions such as in confined spaces or on a motorway.

ECAs also drive a range of ambulance service trust vehicles under normal and emergency (blue light) circumstances and carry out checks to vehicles at the start of and during each shift, to make sure they are clean, have fuel and are appropriately stocked. They need to know how to use all of the medical and life support equipment carried on vehicles that is appropriate to their skill level, and how to assist a qualified paramedic.

A key responsibility of the ECA is to make sure that equipment is carefully stored, transported and cared for so that it is always in good working order and to complete relevant documentation, be familiar with and use communication equipment (including radios and telephones) to inform colleagues about the work they are dealing with.