«Curses and threats bade me farewell. Today I know that I did the right thing »[LETTER OF THE POLISH RESCUER]

«When I told the manager that in the next holiday month I would not be on duty for several hundred hours in the ambulance and I was leaving work, her curses and threats bade me farewell. It was the last time that I was mixed with mud because of my profession ”- recalls the lifeguard, who has been working professionally in Great Britain for five years. In a letter to MedTvoiLokony, he described what the local system looks like, how much is earned and what the prospects are. «I keep my fingers crossed for Polish paramedics. I hope they will get what they want ».

1. The paramedic who wrote the letter to the editors of MedTvoiLokony left for Great Britain five years ago. In Poland, he worked in an ambulance for 10 years
2. Recruitment for the position of a lifeguard took a long time, required passing many exams, but it was successful. “Today I know that I did the right thing and I do not regret my decision” – a man is writing today
3.  As the lifeguard describes, at the beginning the salary is not high, but after a few years of work it increases to an amount that you can live for decently from a full-time job.
4. A lifeguard in the UK works 37,5 hours a week. This is about 150 hours a month. In Poland, it is often 300–400 hours and more
5. How does it assess the current medical rescue system in Poland, how do British paramedics react? He described in a letter to MedTvoiLokony
6. More important information can be found on the Onet homepage.

When I started working in Poland several years ago, it was not entirely clear who the paramedic was. There was no law or regulation to regulate this yet, and there was a doctor in every ambulance.

When I left work, tired of the constant duty of over 350 hours a month (a month lasting 30 days has only 720 hours in total), I was bade farewell by curses and threats from my manager after telling her that I would not take several hundred hours on an ambulance in the next holiday month. It was the last time I was mixed with mud because of my profession. I left her office with a clenched throat. I did not know what would happen next, what awaited me abroad. As a paramedic with over 10 years of work experience, will I be able to adapt to the requirements of a foreign employer?

Today I know that I did the right thing and I do not regret my decision.

“Recruitment took a long time, but I made it”. First days of work in Great Britain

Multi-stage participation in international recruitment, showing my skills in a language that I do not use on a daily basis, understanding the accent, passing a C1 driving license – all of this required a lot of self-denial and dedication from me. My family supported me. My wife looked after the children while I was sitting in the bedroom with the books in order to learn the language, terminology and tests as much as possible.

The recruitment took a long time, but it was successful – I received a letter from my future employer with a job offer.

Photo Archive “Lifeguard on the Isles”

When I first stood in front of the door of one of the emergency stations where I was training, I had to take a few breaths before I pressed the bell. I didn’t know what to expect. At that time, my knowledge of the emergency medical system in the UK was negligible.

I was very kindly received. I expected to be in contact with patients almost immediately. Meanwhile, a training period of over three months had begun. The emergency vehicle driving course itself lasted four weeks, unlike in Poland – few hours.

This course changed my philosophy when it comes to perception of hazards and safe driving of an emergency vehicle. He also changed my more aggressive driving style, which I had acquired in Poland, to a more sedate and safe one (I was self-taught, in the country the first duty as a driver-rescuer was such that my substitute handed me the keys, wished the ambulance to return to duty and … I had to cope).

“The system surprised me a lot”. What does the work of a paramedic look like in the UK?

The system in which I found myself, approaching the National Health Service (NHS), surprised me a lot, and working as a paramedic turned out to be so different from the Polish one that in many cases I had to learn it from scratch.

It took me over a year to adjust and accept the work system in which I operate. During this time, many of my colleagues returned to Poland. I believe that there is no perfect emergency medical system in the world. The British system is not perfect either. More and more often, it is overloaded with reports and becomes inefficient. On the other hand, we are able to offer patients various forms of assistance not available in Poland.

Photo Archive “Lifeguard on the Isles”

Coming back to paramedics. Working in the UK as a paramedic is highly appreciated socially. We often get a very warm welcome by the public. In many places, for example, when we stand in line for the proverbial coffee, people let us pass and they see nothing wrong with the fact that when we are on duty, we are served in front of them.

The standard work week for an NHS Paramedic is 37,5 hoursand during each duty we still have half an hour of free break for a meal.

“You can live decently on a full-time job”. Earnings, development opportunities

The salary of a paramedic is not high, but after a few years of work it increases to the amount for which you can live decently only with a full-time job. A beginner paramedic in the UK earns over PLN 25. pounds a year plus extras. A paramedic with, for example, seven-year work experience already earns over PLN 39. pounds a year plus extras. The minimum wage in the UK with the same number of hours a week (37,5 hours) is less than 17,5 thousand. pounds per year.

A paramedic in the UK can take many steps. He can choose the path of teaching future adepts and start working at the university, even reaching the rank of paramedical professor. On the other hand, if you want to have contact with patients, you can become a paramedical consultant or choose the path of your development in primary care. Then, as a local “medical assistant”, that I will use this comparison, I can take less complicated patients in the clinic, write out several dozen prescriptions myself, refer the patient to tests, etc.

Photo Archive “Lifeguard on the Isles”

If only someone wants to, he can always take a better-paid additional on-call duty or a few part-time on-call duty. However, it depends only on the employee.

Aggression on the part of patients. «There is not as much of it in the UK as in Poland»

The work of a paramedic is associated with the aggression of patients – be it in the UK, in Poland, or in any other country. However, I believe that there is not as much aggression in the UK as I have seen in Poland. For many years, emergency services in the UK have been trying to limit violence, be it physical or verbal, against rescuers.

There are cameras in the ambulances and outside. Each rescuer has his / her own radio. After pressing the emergency button, its location is transferred to the dispatcher, who sends the police to the site. The dispatcher can also listen to what is happening at the scene to provide the necessary information to the police. Recently, we have also been equipped with wearable cameras, thanks to which we can record an act of aggression, which will be evidence during a court trial.

“After more than five years of work, I can say: I do not regret it”

I have talked about the Polish system many times with my British colleagues. The reaction was always the same. When British paramedics hear how many drugs we can give and what procedures we can give, their eyes glow. However, when we come down to money, possible self-employment or the lack of procedures I immediately hear the answer that they are sympathetic, but they could not work where they are not able to support themselves and their family from a normal job. And putting yourself at risk by performing complicated procedures without training and clear guidelines. They show an approach to their work that is very pragmatic.

After more than five years of work, I can say that I have no regrets. I don’t feel any pressure on myself. When I have no shift, I just close the ambulance and go home. I am aware that if someone from my family needs me at home, I can always ask for time off due to a family emergency and I know that I will get it free and will be able to leave the duty. If I experience a traumatic situation, I know that I will be offered support and, if necessary, I will be referred to a psychologist. I did not have such luxuries in Poland.

«Rescuers in Poland continue to work beyond their strength»

In order to live with dignity or not to leave people unattended, rescuers work on duty 300–400 hours, sometimes even more. There are still places in Poland where the rates for paramedics are just over PLN 20 per hour, and from this money the rescuer has to pay ZUS, insurance, pay for various courses, buy work clothes, etc. This fatigue often affects the approach to patients , frustration and anger.

Lack of mental support, lack of sleep and rest can destroy a person. Then everything falls apart, both health and family life.

A lot has to change in the Polish system – the approach to the employee, remuneration. The system in the UK, in which I work, has revealed to me many problems that do not concern Poland yet, but which will affect Polish health care in a few years. Problems that in Poland are not discussed and are not aware of their seriousness. In order to face them, the Polish emergency medical system requires, in my opinion, a thorough reconstruction.

«I keep my fingers crossed for Polish paramedics. I hope they will get what they want »

When I started working in the Polish emergency medical service, there was a great lack of employees on the market. Within a few years, there was an excess of rescuers, which very often resulted in lowering rates and standing still. At the moment, there is again a very large shortage in the team. I know many excellent paramedics with knowledge and experience who have escaped from the system to a better life. Polish paramedics, just like me, chose to emigrate, not wanting to quit their job. You can meet them probably in every country in Europe.

Since I started my blog, wanting to introduce people to the medical emergency system in another country, many paramedics have asked me for information on how to start working abroad. Most of these people are students who are in their second or third year and who write directly that they will definitely not start working in Poland. It’s terrifying. In a few years it may turn out that the deficit of rescuers in Poland will worsen even more, and this will result in a total paralysis of the system.

I keep my fingers crossed for Polish paramedics. For too long it has been a humiliated and muddy profession. It all had to burst in the end. And I hope they get theirs. Not only for their own good. I believe that patients will also be able to benefit from it, because this profession has a chance to become an attractive profession again.

You may be interested in:

1. In Western Europe, rescuers earn up to three times more than in Poland
2. The former nurse explains why her friends often lack empathy
3. Health protection on the brink of collapse. “280 outlets may be closed”

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