International Paramedics Day 2023 A Look Back On The Day-by Natasha Weale

 What a day of celebration for paramedics, first responders and anyone working or volunteering in pre-hospital care around the globe. The profession came together as one on July 8 and told the world exactly What Paramedics Do which was the theme for this year’s campaign.

Organised by the College of Paramedics, the professional body for paramedics and the ambulance profession in the UK, this year’s theme was chosen because we wanted to raise awareness and educate the public, employers, prospective students, government leaders, political decision-makers and other healthcare workers about the versatility of what paramedics do and the different settings where they work. As skilled clinicians, paramedics and first responders make an extraordinary contribution to health and social care systems across the globe, helping patients when they need it most and providing safe and effective treatment.

This year’s campaign was all about moving the perception dial and shining a light on the depth and breadth of what paramedics do. With the help of our 90 partners, more than double from 2022, across 23 countries, International Paramedics Day became a buzzword on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook as student paramedics, paramedics, first responders, ambulance trusts, higher education institutions and affiliated organisations from around the world joined forces to make the day a huge global success on social media.

From India to America, Nigeria to New Zealand, thousands of you here in the UK and across the world took to social media to explain what you did and where you worked. Such was the level of engagement that #IPD2023 was consistently trending on Twitter throughout the day.

Not only that but famous landmark, the CN Tower in Toronto was lit up in red to mark International Paramedics Day while the Sky Tower in Auckland, New Zealand, was emblazoned in yellow and green as a sign of appreciation for the paramedic profession. There were also special video messages of support from Formula One driver, George Russell and BBC Radio 1 presenter, Greg James.

None of this would have been possible, however, without your support and participation so the College of Paramedics would like to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who got involved. Our aim was always to make International Paramedics Day a real moment of pride and joy for the profession and hopefully, you’ll agree, we achieved that.