Paramedics in South Africa

Emergency medical care is the primary responsibility of paramedics in the pre-hospital setting. Paramedics provide medical care where ever the patient is located either at the patients house or work place, in the street, or down an embankment. Before transporting the patient to a medical facility, paramedics stabilize the patient, and treat and transport the patient. Paramedics also provide patient care in the ambulance while the patient is being transferred between hospitals.

Paramedics can provide more than just simple "first-aid". Procedure and interventions that can be provided by paramedics differ, according to their qualification.

Emergency medical rescue is also offered in the EMS setting and is provided by rescue-qualified paramedics. Medical rescue includes use rope rescue systems to rescue people in the mountains and the use of the "jaws of life" to rescue or extricate people from motor vehicle accidents.

However, there have been massive changes in the way that paramedics are trained. All the short courses i.e. Basic Ambulance Assistants and Ambulance Emergency Assistants/ ILS, and Advanced Life Support/CCA are no longer offered and no new registration is allowed. These short courses have been replaced with courses that are all SAQA accredited and NQF aligned.

The department of health does offer Bursaries

All vacant posts are listed on the Vacancy Page

For further information, please email the Principal, Ms Busisiwe Arends

Quick Links