North West appoints Consultant Paramedic

North West Ambulance Trust has appointed its first consultant paramedic.
Mike Jackson joins a select team of two other professionals - Andrew Newton, Consultant Paramedic & Clinical Director for the South East Coast Ambulance Service and Professor Malcolm Woollard, Honorary Consultant Paramedic with the West Midlands Ambulance Service.

The post of consultant paramedic was created by the North West Ambulance Trust (NWAS) and approved by the Strategic Health Authority late last year.

Commenting on his appointment Mike said, "This is one of the proudest moments of my career. I am delighted not just for myself but also the organisation and the paramedic profession. Being only the third paramedic in the UK to be appointed as a consultant is a real honour and I hope others will follow in the near future."

Mike began his career in 1980 with the former Mersey Regional Ambulance Service NHS Trust and qualified as a Paramedic in 1987. He went on to become a Paramedic Tutor and was responsible for training and educating a number of Paramedics most of whom are currently practising across the North West and elsewhere in the UK.

In 2003 he was appointed as Clinical Director and Head of Profession for the former Mersey Regional Ambulance Service. Following the creation of the North West Ambulance Service, Mike was appointed to Assistant Clinical Director and is the Senior Paramedic for the Trust reporting to the Medical Director, Professor Kevin Mackway-Jones.

Mike is an Honorary Lecturer with John Moores University School of Nursing and Primary Care Practice and holds the Diploma in Immediate Medical Care with the Royal College of Surgeons (Edinburgh), a Masters in Business Administration and a Masters level Post Graduate Diploma in Advanced Clinical Practice and is currently completing his dissertation for his Masters in Advanced Clinical Practice.

The role of consultant paramedic has four key dimensions which includes expert practice, professional leadership, education and research and development.
Expertise in practice will be delivered by providing an expert clinical resource and managing complex cases and includes on-scene clinical assessment and treatment to support practitioners in the field including ground air and special operations and also supporting clinicians by providing advice remotely.

Professional clinical leadership will include influencing and interpreting national policy and understanding its impact on the organisation and the profession. In addition Mike will be leading on local clinical direction and leadership which will include the implementation of a clinical supervision and leadership structure for NWAS and supporting and supervising the future
senior and advanced paramedics.

The education dimension includes having responsibility for the clinical training and education provided to our registered paramedics including CPD and creating strong links with education providers across the North West.

Research and Development completes the key dimensions of the post and Mike will play a lead role in R&D activities to assist in identifying evidenced based practice.