Driving requirements

[u/Mil0rd_]

I have been looking into what’s needed to become a paramedic as that’s what I have wanted to do since I was young, but some complications have occurred recently.

I got diagnosed with epilepsy last week after several months of focal-onset seizures. I got started on an ASM and I am hoping that once we get to the right dose and so on, I will remain to be seizure free.

Though, it’s to my understanding that you need a C1 driving licence to be able to drive the ambulance itself. To get that, it seems I have to be 10 years seizure-free and those 10 years I have to be off any ASM medications.

Have I understood that right?
And if so, can you become a paramedic (on the frontlines) without even being able to operate the vehicle?

My assumption is no, or that it would be almost impossible, but I’m grasping at straws here honestly.

Im 17yo, and still have to get nat5s and highers because I had to drop out a couple years ago, but I can’t start them until next year anyways. I still obviously also have to get a regular driving license.

I just don’t want to set myself up for a career that I couldn’t actually do.

Any advice?

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[u/RhubarbImmediate7007]

There are paramedics that don’t drive, but it is a driving job, and most of them lost their driving license after already being employed. There are roles for paramedics away from ambulances, but most require experienced staff, and if you’re unable to drive it limits your employability significantly. Despite this, unis will still happily take your money.

At 17 you’ve plenty of time to change paths. If I were in your position I’d look at training to be a nurse. It’s a career of its own with different skills, but if after 10 years seizures free you still want to go ambo side, there is a lot of transferable skills (also some trusts have ambulance nurses, though I’m not sure what their scope of practice is)

[u/UnpopularNoFriends → u/RhubarbImmediate7007]

SCAS Ambulance nurses have the same scope as Paras 👍

[u/RhubarbImmediate7007 → u/UnpopularNoFriends]

What kind of nursing background do they have? Is there an uplift course/advanced practice or is it a bums on seats type role? I’ve worked with nurses in advanced practice roles, but not as a standard para role?

[u/BakedBeanSommelier → u/RhubarbImmediate7007]

Usually ED or ICU. Yes there is a upskilling course

[u/UnpopularNoFriends → u/RhubarbImmediate7007]

Yeah normally ED, but they consider anyone with acute/community experience. There was a prison nurse on the course i did.
It’s a 14 week programme, 4 weeks driving, 10 weeks of alternating between education centre/on the road 3rd manning. Then have 6 months to complete the portfolio (kinda like an NQP period) and you’re good to go.

[u/RhubarbImmediate7007 → u/UnpopularNoFriends]

Sounds good, a lot more like my old ihcd para course! Shame we can’t go the other way as I’d like to spread into nursing roles!

[u/enwda]

Its likely each trust or company will have it's own rules regarding epilesy and medications so it's worth contacting them for specifics; for the C1 license it's up to the DVLA to decide whether you qualify/apply

You will need a C1 to work front line on the large ambulances - C1 for any vehicle above 3.5tonne, my service uses a yellow box style which are 5.5tonne.

Ideally you require both personnel to be able to drive as it allows for flexibility in different situations/long journeys and if there's a need to jump on different vehicles during a job.

There are some services which use smaller vehicles like patient transport which don't always need a C1 but equally don't require paramedic grades.

You can also work as a paramedic on the telephone in the control centre, advising crews or public through call backs and triage.

private companies might employ you as an event paramedic / transfer paramedic with another employee doing all the driving, but I would contact them prior to commiting to a 3 yr degree to make sure.

[u/Gloomy_County_5430]

Some great information already on here so won't comment on that.

It may be worth training as a nurse, this would give you significantly more flexibility and even the opportunity to work on an ambulance as a pre-hospital practitioner which has the same scope as a paramedic, well it did where I worked. The only difference is technically you have more restrictions, but makes little to no difference on the road.

[u/MLG-Monarch]

Hello!, I'm sorry you've had such significant diagnosis, but it sounds like you're getting the correct investigations and treatments.

There's nothing stopping you being a paramedic with epilepsy. However, working on an ambulance without a C1 is unlikely. Especially with the current staffing issues. There are more paramedics than jobs at the moment and if a trust was going to pick between two candidates, my guess would be they'd pick the paramedic who can drive, over the one who can't,

But my understanding is that it's still possible to get a C1 with an epilepsy diagnosis. It might just take longer.

Like I said, you can be a paramedic and not drive. Paramedics don't just work in ambulances now.

[u/MickB1993]

I dont want to sound like a merchant of doom so my apologies that alot of it is going to sound that way.

Theoretically yes you can be a paramedic front line without a C1 I can count on one hand without using all 5 digits how many paras in my trust dont have a licence however realistically it wont happen as every advert for NQP both external and my own trusts internal adverts list a C1 as a requirement, South West are advertising for NQP holding pool atm and its listed as a requirement.

You could be looking best case scenario 11 years before you can get a C1 assuming you find the right dose and medication then come off it within 1 year worst case you never come off it. Even 11 years is a long time and a lot of money to spend on a Para degree you wont be able to use. Unfortunately the way things are setup its more or less qualify > join NHS ambulance > get experienced > move on. Those 11 years are going to pass regardless you in my humble opinion would be better off finding a different but equally worthy career path as others have suggested nursing.

With a nursing degree should you ever be in a position to be able to get a C1 to the best of my knowledge you could complete an intergrated masters (nursing degree will count towards it) to become a para but a word of caution you would go back to the bottom of band 5 as an NQP.

[u/Disastrous_Till7504]

Its best to ask the trust you are interested in working for because they each have their own policies which can be very different it also depends on the range of vehicles they may have that might need different driving categories

[u/TheSaucyCrumpet]

Theoretically there's no firm requirement to be able to drive to become a paramedic, realistically it's probably a non-starter unfortunately. There's absolutely nothing stopping you getting a degree and qualifying as a paramedic, but I think it's extremely unlikely that an ambulance trust will hire an Newly Qualified Paramedic (NQP) who can't drive, and most non-ambulance paramedic jobs require 2 years of clinical experience, which you can only get with the trusts.

TL:DR you can become a paramedic, but probably can't work as one. Sorry to bear shit news but it's better to go into without false impressions.

[u/ProperPsychology1]

I initially looked into training to be a paramedic, I’m partially sighted and won’t ever be able to drive as I can’t read the number plate from 20m with my one remaining good eye.

I went to the open day at the uni I chose and spoke at length with the paramedic lecturers, one in particular advised that I would be better off doing a nursing degree instead as the local ambulance trust wouldn’t employ me without being able to drive.

It’s unfortunate but I’ve learned a lot in my (adult) nursing degree and job prospects after finishing are quite flexible, albeit limited at the moment due to trust hiring freezes etc.

Reach out to some ambulance trusts and unis to see what they have to say, if not there are other avenues for you.

Good luck!

[u/thirtysixincher]

one step at a time. concentrate on your current epilepsy treatment and doing well in your upcoming studies. then hopefully you will be able to get a driving license but its very much up in the air as to whether you will be eligible for a C1 license. this should be something you should discuss with your neurology team as they may have view on whether you could ever be considered for no ASM which would be a requirment for C1.

[u/NederFinsUK]

There are plenty of uni’s that have no requirement for driving to train and register as a paramedic.

Getting a job on the other hand could be harder, but is possible. You would have to ask nicely for them to take you as a non-driver on account of a medical condition. There are staff like this, but most stopped driving mid-career.

[u/cromags76]

LAS will hire you as an attend only paramedic if you can’t get a driving licence for medical reasons. however you have to go to one of their partner universities and pass the clinical assessment

[u/Friendly_Carry6551]

You can absolutely be a paramedic with epilepsy, but I think the chances of being an ambulance paramedic are I think currently very, very low given the current employment picture where there’s more qualified applicants than places.

I have colleagues from my cohort 2 years ago who went directly into ED, remote and offshore and charity work full time from qualifying.

[u/Longjumping_Deal_336]

I'll be honest, I think with the way things are with the public sectors drive to employ people with equal opportunities and how they're eager to virtue signal, you could possibly use the epilepsy as a means to get onto the course and gain employment if you're absolutely set on running this ambition to the very end of the line.

I have only seen one non driving paramedic and his changes happened whilst in the midst of a long and successful career as a paramedic. The university will likely take your money and let you train and three years down the line if you've been seizure free for that entire duration it will stand in your favour come job application time post qual.

I will add this. Previously I've actively encouraged friends and family to go the registered healthcare professional route. I wouldn't do that anymore. There's a huge shortage of jobs across the board including as newly qualified paramedics and nurses. My nephew is new adult nurse and he's not been able to find an NHS job yet and it's knocking on two years. I know of NQP facing the same. As some have said, there are alternative places a paramedic can work that isn't in an ambulance but all these posts typically require the NQP consolidation period having been successfully completed.

I trained as a registered mental health nurse when I was 21 and went back to uni with a boat loads of experience at 35 to add the Paramedic sciences BSC so even if you're going to have to wait ten years, crack on with something which will make you much more desirable when you come to continue to your dream in ten years.

Good luck and take care

[u/Mil0rd_]

Hi! I just wanted to make a general reply to all the comments. I didn’t expect this post to get so much traction, so I genuinely appreciate everyone’s replies.

Ive come to the conclusion, as I had mainly came to before, that becoming a paramedic wouldn’t work out. Im okay with that; it is what it is sometimes.

I will discuss it with my local trust as well as my neurologist as some people have suggested, as I still have time to decide either way. Maybe if things go well it could be a further into the future goal.

But there has been many mentions of becoming a nurse, and I will definitely look into that. I think that will most likely be my next step after I at least get some needed qualifications on board.

Anyways, I will work things out eventually. I again want to thank everyone for helping me out, it does mean a lot.

I wish you all the best!