Ambulance care assistant

You would be responsible for safely driving elderly or infirm people to their appointments at hospitals, healthcare and social services. You'd assist them in and out of the ambulance and take them home afterwards.

The people you drive may be frail or ill as well as being anxious and worried. Some patients will be elderly, have physical disabilities or mental health problems. Your kindness will reassure and comfort the patients and their relatives.

You would:

• Help people out of their home and into the ambulance (which may involve some lifting)

• Take them to their appointments on time

• Take them home and make sure they are settled in before leaving

• Carry out routine care of ambulance equipment and daily vehicle checks

• Keep accurate records of journeys

You will often see the same people on a regular basis, some of whom may be lonely and vulnerable.

In some ambulance services, you could be trained to work in a high dependency team, where you would regularly drive patients with specific medical problems. You would keep in contact by radio or telephone with support staff at the control room who would give you advice about how to help the person if there was a medical emergency.

Most jobs are in the National Health Service, working for the Scottish Ambulance Service. You can see more about this role in the National Health Service on the ambulance care assistant page on the NHS Scotland Careers website. See the learning and development section for information about career structures, progression and rates of pay.

• Scottish Ambulance Service - How it works, about the job roles and experiences of people who use the Service

• Skills for Health - Skills standards and development for the UK health sector

• Disclosure Scotland – more about the Protecting Vulnerable Groups Scheme