Hidden practice, hidden people?

A recent conversation on Twitter around the lack of focus on social determinants of health in paramedic education highlighted to me the reality that we still do not understand or appreciate the broader role that we play in society. In an editorial last year (Batt, 2019), I outlined that in order to fully understand our role, and in order to guide it in future, we need to explore what it is that paramedics do, and be prepared to evolve in response to changing societal needs. In recent issues of International Paramedic Practice, authors have highlighted the link between social determinants of health and the impact on paramedics and patients. A number of publications in recent years have explored and highlighted areas where paramedics are poorly prepared to support patients experiencing intimate partner violence, homelessness, end-of-life issues, and mental health concerns to name but a few. This does not begin to address the many areas of practice that we have yet to explore and understand such as caring for refugees and Indigenous populations, and our role in public health.