Emergency Medical Dispatcher

Typical Salary

£18,005 To £21,142

Typical Hours

40 to 42 a week

evenings / weekends / bank holidays on shifts

How To Become a Emergency Medical Dispatcher

You can get into this job through:

a college course
an apprenticeship
applying directly

College / University

Good computer skills and a typing qualification could be useful to get into this job, for example:

Level 2 Award in Touch Typing
Level 2 ECDL Award in IT User Skills

Apprenticeship

You can get into this role through an advanced apprenticeship in emergency service contact handling.

Routes into this Career

Routes into this Career are not listed for this job.

You can apply directly to your local ambulance service.

Each service sets their own entry requirements, though it may help your application if you have:

GCSEs grade 9 to 4 (A* to C) in English, maths and science
experience in customer care, like a call centre operator
map reading skills and knowledge of local geography
an understanding of medical terminology
the ability to speak a community language
a recognised and up-to-date first aid qualification

Other Routes

Other Routes are not listed for this job.

Skills And Knowledge

You'll need:

customer service skills
the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
to be thorough and pay attention to detail
patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
sensitivity and understanding
the ability to work well with others
knowledge of public safety and security
administration skills
to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Day To Day Tasks

in your day-to-day duties you may:

keep the caller calm to get essential information
find out the location and details of what happened
give basic first aid advice to people facing life-threatening situations
help people cope until an ambulance arrives
decide whether the caller needs an ambulance, car, motorbike or helicopter
work out which vehicle is nearest
contact the crew and pass on vital information
create electronic records of calls and events

Working Environment

You could work in a control room.

Your working environment may be emotionally demanding.

Career Path & Progression

With experience, you could become a team leader or control room superintendent.

Volunteering Opportunities

Paid or unpaid experience of working in healthcare would be useful. You could contact the voluntary services co-ordinator or manager at your local NHS trust for advice about opportunities.

Tips & Information

Further information

You can find out more about becoming an emergency medical dispatcher from Health Careers.

Restrictions & Requirements

You'll need to:

be over 18 years of age
pass background checks