Rosie Winterton MP
Minister of State
Department of Health
Richmond House
London
SW1

Dear Rosie

I write to express UNISON’s concern at the level of fees being charges by the Health Professions Council to Ambulance Paramedics who are members of the professional register.

Unison fought for many years to achieve Paramedic registration and we remain committed to the principle of a HPC register that will protect the public and offer professional development to registered groups. However the current cost of registration for Paramedics is having a damaging effect on the achievement of a comprehensive Paramedic register.

The present fee for an eligible Paramedic is one hundred and twenty pounds (£120) for a period of two years. This is three times the amount charged to nurses on the Nurse and Midwives register at sixty pounds for three years (£60) and more than twice the amount previously charged to other registrants on the Health Professions Council register such as Occupational Therapists at twenty-two pounds (£22) per year. Paramedics consider this to be an unreasonable fee for very little by way of support or service.

Whilst I realise that the Health Professions Council (HPC) is independent of the Government and the level of charges does not fall under the auspice of the Department of Health never the less I would wish you to be aware that the relatively high level of charges are having a potential adverse effect on the ambulance service.

The detrimental effect of this excessive charge is that out of a potential of six and a half thousand qualified Paramedics eligible to register some six hundred have not done so. They cannot practice as Paramedics and so the cover by first line response staff throughout the country is reduced. Not employing Paramedics up to their full potential is a waste of their skills and qualifications ad the public are suffering as a result. It also means unnecessary operational problems for ambulance trusts that have to use these highly trained staff on duties below Paramedic level.

Further we now have groups of Paramedics threatening to withdraw from the register so depleting the numbers practicing even further.

We have raised the difficulties of the excessive charges with the HPC, as have the employers through the Ambulance Services Association to no avail.

This problem has the potential to adversely effect and disrupt the ambulance emergency cover in specific areas of the country should Paramedics decide to de-register. The West Midlands and Stafford is a particularly difficult area where mass de-registration has been threatened.

We will continue our dialogue with the HPC, as will the employers through the ASA. We would seek the support of the DH in establishing a fare and equitable level of charges for Paramedics registered with the HPC.

Yours sincerely