Student paramedics join fight against COVID

Paramedic students from Coventry University have headed to the frontline to help ambulance staff tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.

About 50 students who have previously worked with West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) on placements have joined up once again with ambulance staff at the service’s request to help bolster their numbers as they work during the coronavirus outbreak.

Paul Corns, Course Director of the Foundation Degree in Paramedic Science at Coventry University, said: “It all moved very quickly, from WMAS first making the request, to the students going on induction days and now they’re out there working as frontline staff.

“The students have been very keen and were willing to assist without hesitation.”

The paramedic students are all about six months away from become fully qualified paramedics and they will be working as paid support staff for WMAS, which will also count as their placement.

The first students joined up with WMAS for their first shifts last Tuesday, one of whom is Sophie Bassi who is based at the service’s Bromsgrove hub and has been out working across the region.

Mrs Bassi said: “Being at home wasn’t an option and with the skill set I already have, I knew it would be of use. I definitely had to join WMAS and assist them.

“It’s been absolutely manic but the people at Bromsgrove have been really lovely and welcoming.

“I’m working alongside a lot of Coventry University students and how we’ve all pulled together as a team to help each other has been really good.”

This is just one of many ways in which Coventry University staff and students have been helping our public services tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.

More than 25 PhD students have volunteered to help University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire with COVID-19 testing in the coming weeks and paramedic students from the university have taken up frontline roles with West Midlands Ambulance Service.

About 400 pairs of safety goggles and 90,000 pairs of gloves have been donated to Warwickshire County Council’s public health team for use in care homes and the university’s health simulation facilities in the Alison Gingell building have also been made available for local health trusts to use for training purposes for their staff.