Training hub for front line ambulance crews opens in Northampton

Previously, the East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) had one regional training centre in Nottingham where new recruits from across the county were trained.

But now, a new hub for training crews in Northamptonshire has opened at the Northampton North Ambulance Station, off Kettering Road, in a modular building by Portakabin.

It comes after EMAS picked up a funding boost allowing it to take on 300 new recruits, most of whom will be on the frontlines.

By using offsite building methods, Portakabin constructed and fit out new training facilities on ambulance station sites in Northampton and Lincoln in just two weeks.

The single-storey building includes two training rooms, a canteen and an office plus welfare facilities., and will provide teaching space for more than 20 trainees at any time.

Mark Fox, Regional Hire Manager at Portakabin said, “We were able to install each building in just one day which minimised disruption to the site dramatically. This meant that the paramedic teams could continue providing their life-saving care without being interrupted and training for new recruits could commence as quickly as possible.

“Creating multiple training facilities on the ambulance station sites means that trainers and new recruits will have access to facilities right on their doorstep.”

EMAS Transformation Lead Neil White said, “This partnership, creating local education estate in such a short time frame, is a positive step forward to provide more development opportunities for our staff and strengthen and improve patient care.”

The Northampton and Lincoln facilities are due to be in place for two years with plans to create more facilities during that time.