References
Pre-hospital medicine: South Africa vs. the United Kingdom
Abstract
In an introductory overview, the differences and similarities between emergency medicine in South Africa (SA) and the United Kingdom (UK), predominantly in the paramedical area of practice, are explored. The author discussed areas of interest, as well as a potential future direction. The current article focuses on the more prevalent similarities and differences identified. However, it is worth noting that not all trusts and/or organisations work identically regardless of country-specific differences. The author is a paramedic rescuer by background with over 12 years of experience in the medical field, and has lectured for 5 years. He has worked operationally and lectured in both SA and the UK; the discussion in the current article arises as a result of the differences he has encountered during his experience.
The paramedical field is a rapidly growing profession—not only in the United Kingdom (UK), but internationally. The aim of the current article is to discuss some of the differences and similarities between the UK and South Africa (SA) in terms of pre-hospital medicine. In the UK, the paramedic field of study is typically referred to as ‘paramedicine’, whereas in SA, it is referred to as ‘emergency medicine’. In the current article, it will be referred to as ‘pre-hospital medicine’ in the interests of simplicity (Edge Hill University (EHU), 2017; University of Johannesburg, 2017). The current article is an overview and not all topics will be discussed, nor will they be explored in depth.
A ‘paramedic’ is a loose term in colloquial dialect. However, in many instances, it is actually a protected title, such as is the case in the UK. The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) describe paramedics as:
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