The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) supports new laws in England that allows hundreds of advanced paramedics to prescribe drugs, improving care for patients, speeding up access to treatment and preventing unnecessary visits to hospitals and GP practices.
Patients already rely on paramedics to administer live-saving treatment when they become critically ill or are involved in a serious accident. The new laws, which came into force on 1 April, allows the most qualified and experienced paramedics to also prescribe medication for patients who do not need hospital treatment.
Following changes to the law expanding independent prescribing to specialist paramedics, Professor David Lockey, Chairman of RCSEd’s Faculty of Pre Hospital Care said:
“RCSEd welcomes new laws in England which expands independent prescribing to allow advanced care paramedics to prescribe drugs to patients. Paramedics are highly skilled professionals who can play a vital role in providing excellent patient care outside of GP and hospital environments, when appropriate. This has the potential to improve patient care, reduce demand on overstretched accident and emergency departments and GP practices and highlights the valuable contribution paramedics make to the NHS.”
Read more on the NHS England website.
RCSEd (www.rcsed.ac.uk) was first incorporated as the Barber Surgeons of Edinburgh in 1505, and is the oldest surgical corporation in the world with memberships approaching 25,000 professionals in over 100 countries worldwide. The College promotes the highest standards of surgical and dental practice through its interest in education, training and examinations, its liaison with external medical bodies and representation of the modern surgical and dental workforce. It is also home to the UK’s only Faculty of Surgical Trainers, open to all those with an interest in surgical training regardless of College affiliation. Find RCSEd on Twitter www.twitter.com/RCSEd and on Facebook www.facebook.com/rcsed
The College is based at Nicolson Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9DW and can be reached on (0)131 527 1600 or mail@rcsed.ac.uk. In March 2014, a new base opened in Birmingham, catering to the 80% of the College’s UK membership who are based in England and Wales.
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