Partnership between University of Sunderland and North East Ambulance Service could help boost staff numbers

The University of Sunderland and the North East Ambulance Service have developed a new two year paramedic training programme in response to the regional and national shortage of paramedics.

The course is uniquely in the North East, in that it is connected to the Sunderland School of Pharmacy and Sunderland School of Nursing, and will provide both practical and theoretical training.

In the North East there are 533 employed paramedics, but despite filling 66 posts last year, there's still eighty vacancies remaining. Its hoped the course will help add to the current team paramedic team.

Paramedic Stacey Hilton describes the pressures of the job: