Can a type 1 diabetic become a paramedic

Easy answer.........

Yes.......anybody who meets the Educational and Health criteria for training can be a Paramedic, whether you are a Type 1 or 2 makes no difference.

However....the bad news is that as 99.9% of the Ambulance Service Providers require a Paramedic to be able to drive first response Ambulances then that is where it all falls down.
They do not employ Diabetic's who are Insulin Dependent. End of story !

If you want more information and confirmation of the facts contact the UK Paramedic's College at this address and phone number. That is where you will get all the information that you will need.

Website:
https://www.collegeofparamedics.co.uk/home/

Contact details:
Telephone: 0127 842 0014

UK College of Paramedics
The Exchange
Express Park
Bristol Road
Bridgwater
TA6 4RR

Email:
For membership enquiries:............... membership@collegeofparamedics.net
For general enquiries:..................... help@collegeofparamedics.net
For education and career enquiries:.... career@collegeofparamedics.net

Unfortunately , whilst you may be able to do all the training and get the qualification and accreditation you will still face a battle to find an ambulance Service that will want to employ you as you wouldn't be able to drive their vehicles ?

There are other lower qualified areas where you may be able to assist and not need to drive. All the fast response vehicle have the ban imposed at the present whether two wheels or four. You really need to discuss this with the people at the end of the link to save you wasting your time on something that at present you cannot achieve.

Good luck in whatever way you are able to go........

I would have a word with your career's adviser at college, they will know who to contact in your trusts ambulance service, to find out what criteria they have..

I've check the link that Ken gave, I reconised the telephone number, local to me so know the address as well...

The college of paramedics, is a professional body and not a training college they don't train paramedics, but provide a professional body for them to belong to...

Another link I've found is this one, http://www.nhsemployers.org/Aboutus/Pub ... abetes.pdf

But if healthcare and emgerncy is what you are interesting in.. Perhaps take a look at nursing for a career?

Train to be a nurse, then specialise in the A&E department.. Very front line type of nusring

Hi David
My diabetic nurse is Type 1... so guess who gets 100% of my attention compared with my GP. Not only does she know what I should be doing she knows exactly how I feel. You've got a win-win situation if you can do the training and specialise in the field that you already know lots about. Not only are you in a position to really help people you will be able to get the best treatment for yourself Go for it and best of luck.

Alan

Hi David
All it needs, like everything, is training and guidance but good on you for thinkng the way you do. You will succeed... no doubt about that.

Alan

David
Sadly, the driving issue is probably insurmountable. However, live saving isn't. I trained as a first aider & life saver in my teens (our Mum claimed she didn't care if my sister & I didn't pass our O levels [that dates us!] but did insist that we both did first aid & life saving), and have keep up my skills, through nurse training, serving as a Territorial Army Nursing Officer, working in many hopsitals, gaining BSc Marine Biology, then getting type 1 diabetes at 30 years of age, which meant I was no longer even allowed to drive minibuses professionally nor rejoin TA; I had to change direction a bit, gained MSc Environmental Technology (Health & the Environment), continued to go on expeditions to Arctic regions & Latin America, worked in public health, traval clinic, health research etc, assistant ranger at country park, orienteering coach, activity birthday party organiser, marshal on adventure races, mountain marathons & triathlons, compete in orienteering, ARs & MMs etc. I have steered clear of specialising in diabetes, as I share your views on prefereing to help a wider range of people.
So, best to do well what you are allowed to do. By the way, I have been involved in several first aid / life saving / resuscitation events, where I was able to do the right things until further help arrived.

check out the Health Professions Council website as they are the body that regulates paramedics - there should be health info on there.

Ally

Hi David, thanks for your admiration, but that's not why I posted the list!

Sometimes you have to think laterally to achieve what you want eg wasn't allowed to work in Antarctica (couldn't overwinter, due to being female, then got diabetes, just as they allowed females to overwinter), but managed to work on South Georgia for a month, as a leader on a youth expedition. I particularly recommend BSES Expeditions, as they have been taking young people to exciting places, since Murray Levick, a member of Scott's final Antarctica expedition (1911-13) took 8 public schoolboys to Finland in 1932 - these days, young explorers come from wider backgrounds - even females from state schools like me.

Good luck, and PM if you think I can help further.

Hey. I am a type 1 diabetic and I am a Paramedic. I am allowed to drive with and without a patient in the back and with or with out lights and sirens. I keep some food and spare medication in a small insulated bag in the front of whatever ambulance I am in for the day. I have had a few times when I have had to quickly eat between calls. However it has never been a big problem for me.

All the crew mates I work with know that I have diabetes and they look out for me. They will ask how I am doing as we are going to a call so I get a chance to eat or drink something quick if I have time and need it. In fact the days I work I usually see the best control over my blood glucose because I am so much more aware that I need to be in tight control.

Do not let anyone tell you that you cannot do it if you want to. You will just have to find an employer that is willing to work with you and you will need to keep tight control and come up with a plan to present to them about what happens if you get to high on a call or too low on a call and how you will be able to quickly fix it so it does not affect patient care.

Good luck.

Annabeth
Whilst it may be true that in the USA where you are you can be a Paramedic the rules in the UK are more stringent and the OP would find it difficult, if not impossible to gain employment with the rules as they are in the UK. at the moment. It would be wrong to let David think that his aim of being a Paramedic and drive emergency vehicles in the UK is achievable when everything tells us that it is not or may be restricted.

david8233 said:

As for specialising in a more diabetic path as suggested in your post Alan i can't really seeing myself telling other diabetics what there doing wrong and what they have to do knowing full well that sometimes you can give your all to get, say trying to achieve low results but not being able to achieve them, and im looking into a wider view of helping a wider range of people rather than a certain condition

Click to expand...

I completely respect what you are saying here, but I just wanted to say that the fact that you know sometimes things don't go right however much you try - that alone would make your input of huge use in diabetes specialist services.
I've just finished a piece of research with fellow diabetics and from what they told me, there is a BIG need for more practical understanding of diabetes in diabetes care. I'm not saying this to tell you what you 'ought' to do AT ALL, I'm just saying that if you ever did consider it, your attitude and experience would be really valued. But you will also be excellent in a more wide-ranging nursing capacity - and after all there's no reason why you should specialise in diabetes just coz you are diabetic.
So I suppose all I'm saying is, you are doing a good thing and good luck with it! {slinks away apologizing for rabbiting on}

cugila said:

However....the bad news is that as 99.9% of the Ambulance Service Providers require a Paramedic to be able to drive first response Ambulances then that is where it all falls down.
They do not employ Diabetic's who are Insulin Dependent. End of story !

Click to expand...

I'm sorry but this is wrong. Diabetics are now assessed individually and CAN become paramedics and drive if approved by GP

http://www.1cor.com/1158/?form_1155.replyids=141

I know this because i'm trying to become a paramedic myself in the future. I'm already with St John Ambulance and from there move up to NHS Ambulance Service. I have contacted West Midlands Ambulance service who have said I CAN become a paramedic.