West means Counties in the old ‘West’ divisional area of Southwestern Ambulance service NHS Foundation Trust. It may not match with geographical counties
Registered staff
This one day event explores key aspects of Paramedic Practice-Based Education, the challenges faced, and how educators can help address them.
Info & BookingAll patient facing staff.
This interactive 2-hour session will go through topics including navigating pathways, teams to contact, best interest decisions and clinical handover. Attendees will leave with improved knowledge and enhanced confidence in these areas.
Info & BookingExpression of interest for registered clinicians
A two day course, Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS) provides comprehensive training for emergency and healthcare professionals in the UK who need to deliver advance trauma care in pre-hospital settings. Based on globally recognised principles and evidence based trauma management, this intensive course equips participants with the essential skills to respond effectively to trauma incidents, ensuring the highest possible standard of care or trauma patients before they reach the hospital.
To respond to demand we want to make this course available to staff - we need a more accurate idea of interest prior to purchasing. Available to registered clinicians.
All SWAST Staff
The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism is the government’s preferred and recommended training for health and social care staff. It aims to save lives by ensuring the health and social care workforce have the right skills and knowledge to provide safe, compassionate and informed care to autistic people and people with a learning disability.
Info & BookingOpen to all staff and students
St Peter's Hospice welcome health and social care professionals and students to attend their free information sessions held at the hospice in Brentry.
Info & BookingOpen to operational ambulance staff of all grades (if capacity we may be able to open out to undergraduate students at a later date).
This practical CPD session gives clinicians the opportunity to refresh their airway management skills in a relaxed and informal setting; through a variety of skills stations, clinical discussions and scenario-based training.
Taught by Specialist Paramedics in Critical Care, this Airway workshop aims to cover topics such as:
- Escalation of airway management techniques
- Oxygenation and ventilation strategies
- End-Tidal CO2 waveforms and their clinical significance.
Open to all staff and students
A diverse library of learning resources, designed to enhance your understanding of anti-racism and guide you in being an effective ally to individuals from global majority backgrounds.
Info & BookingOpen to patient facing staff
Hour long sessions, aimed at sharing knowledge and good practice, answering tough questions and supporting staff to feel confident when attending patients who may have experienced Non-Fatal Strangulation.
Info & BookingOpen to Paramedics, NQPs, Nurses, Advanced Technicians.
The Waveform Course: ECG Interpretation for Clinicians is designed for Trust clinicians to achieve an understanding of the Paramedic & Nurse ECG Recognition Standards.
Info & BookingAll SWASFT staff.
This remote workshop is aimed at those who are looking to further their Excel knowledge. It covers conditional formatting rules, sorting advanced data, advanced formulas and functions as well as additional tips and tricks. Attendees will leave feeling confident in using conditional formatting rules and using advanced functions in Excel, as well as using more advanced features such as pivot tables and data validation.
The provider have suggested the intermediate Excel workshop should be a prerequisite for this advanced session.
Patient facing staff
Motorcyclists are some of our most vulnerable road users; unfortunately, they can also become worse off when an accident happens. This session will cover why and how motorcycles crash, and how to deal with the patient and scene effectively.
Info & BookingSuitable for all staff wishing to (& eligible to) pick up a module via SWAST CPD.
Discover the academic writing fundamentals to help you achieve success in your healthcare-related degree.
Ideal for those who have been out of higher education for a while but are keen to pick this up. Or just for those who feel they would like a refresher to give the best chance of success!
Academic writing forms a significant part of your healthcare degree, and is key to your success at university. This three-week course from Kingston University and St George’s, University of London will give you the tips, strategies, and tools you need to develop your academic writing skills. In honing your skills, you’ll boost your confidence and be able to focus on your course content to become a motivated and independent learner.
Available to all staff (not currently available to students)
The Level 3 Award in Education and Training (AET) is commonly regarded as the 'gold standard' for the training industry in the UK. This certified course is being offered as a self-paced course, offering guided learning, enabling staff to fit around their shift patterns to suit.
Deadline for applications: Mon 28th April 2025 at 8am.
An overview of the available Microsoft 365 training we have on offer.
Info & BookingOpen to all staff.
This PowerPoint training is an up to 90-minute interactive workshop delivered remotely via Microsoft Teams. This engagement gives users a basic understanding of the tools and how to locate and utilise them within PowerPoint. Each session will include a Q & A.
Info & BookingAll SWASFT staff.
This remote workshop is aimed at those who are looking to improve their Excel skills. It covers conditional formatting rules, sorting advanced data, advanced formulas and functions as well as additional tips and tricks. Attendees will leave feeling confident in using conditional formatting rules and using advanced functions in Excel, as well as using more advanced features such as pivot tables and data validation.
The provider have suggested the foundation Excel workshop should be a prerequisite for this intermediate session.
Designed predominantly for front-line staff (registrants & non-registrants), but non-clinical staff are also welcome to sign up.
Created by a dementia nurse specialist with over 30 years experience, Finding the Light in Dementia is designed to provide a deep understanding of dementia. Covering an overview of the how our brains work, as well as practical tips and approaches when it comes to what to consider, how to connect and how best to communicate with a person living with dementia.
This course is available as both an online study day and e-learning platform.
Designed predominantly for front-line staff (registrants & non-registrants), but non-clinical staff are also welcome to sign up.
A flexible virtual training package, for those who prefer to learn at their own pace. Available as part of a package along with live study days, or by itself if you aren't able to attend any of the live sessions.
Content has been created by a dementia nurse specialist with over 30 yrs experience, Finding the Light in Dementia is designed to provide a deep understanding of dementia. This resource provides an overview of the how our brains work, as well as practical tips and approaches when it comes to what to consider, how to connect and how best to communicate with a person living with dementia. This training has been delivered to other ambulance services with positive feedback.
Designed predominantly for front-line staff (registrants & non-registrants), but non-clinical staff are also very welcome to sign up.
One day live virtual workshop / study day. Available as part of a package along with a self-paced virtual training package or by itself if you'd prefer just to attend a live session.
Created by a dementia nurse specialist with over 30 years experience, Finding the Light in Dementia is designed to provide a deep understanding of dementia. Covering an overview of the how our brains work, as well as practical tips and approaches when it comes to what to consider, how to connect and how best to communicate with a person living with dementia.
This course is available as both an online study day and e-learning platform.
Available to all staff of all grades (registered & non registered) in both patient-facing roles. Patient-facing includes scenarios where the patient is contacted over the phone.
1 day virtual workshop designed to enhance skills & confidence & to provide a framework to deliver courageous conversations.
Sometimes we feel over worked and under appreciated. Other times, we might like to give feedback but hold back for fear of reprisal. Occasionally, we may feel undermined by a colleague or boss. The common thread in these scenarios is the need to have a potentially difficult conversation.
These conversations take strategy, skill and above all courage. This workshop is designed to help build these skills & confidence.
Available to all staff and students
Managing a patient experiencing an out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) requires quick thinking and the ability to use the latest technology to deliver a high-quality resuscitation attempt.
This 1-day workshop focuses on the importance of high-quality CPR and utilising advanced monitoring features on Trust ZOLL X-Series defibrillators.
Open to all staff.
Most of us by now have completed a Microsoft Form; but are you a bit baffled by how to create one yourself? Want to capture a lot of data quickly but don't have time to do this manually or want to help yourself or your team to work more efficiently?
This Forms Foundation training is a 90-minute interactive virtual workshop delivered remotely via Microsoft Teams. This engagement gives users a basic understanding of the tools and how to locate and utilise them within Forms. Each session will allocate time for Q & A.
All SWASFT staff.
Do you feel you need to build some basic skills and foundation knowledge around Excel? You may be a member of staff who uses Excel rarely, but when you do, you find it a bit overwhelming to do simple tasks. Or perhaps you use it fairly regularly within your role, but have never had any formal training & would like to get back to basics so that you can feel you are using it in the most effective way...
If you think this is you, sign up for this remote 90 minute workshop to build skills and confidence!
The trainer advises attending a foundation level workshop as a prerequisite to the intermediate level.
Working for the ambulance service can be stressful and we know from a systematic review of the evidence that employees want more time at work to look after themselves and their colleagues.
To build on this evidence we invite all SWASFT employees (from all roles) to express interest in joining a focus group (or one to one interview if preferred) where you can share your opinion and thoughts about why some colleagues are happy to ask for help from organisational support services and why some are not. This information will be used to help minimise any barriers and to enhance any facilitators to ambulance staff accessing support when needed.
Registered clinicians
An airway essentials day covering all the key areas of airway assessment and management. Including a blend of mini-teaching sessions, practical workshops and simulation. Delivered by the team at Wiltshire Air Ambulance.
To ensure a balanced skill mix on the day, expressions of interest are being taken for this session. Staff will be made aware if they have a place after 24/10/24 by the educators.
Available to all frontline staff and students
The SWASFT MatNeo webinar sessions will take place on a monthly basis, covering a range of topics to help you approach maternity and neonatal jobs with confidence.
October's webinar will act as a forum to learn more about supporting families experiencing baby loss. Hear from subject-matter experts, discuss best practice in pre-hospital care and ask questions in a supportive environment.
Suitable for all staff and students. May be most applicable for staff who have contact with patients.
This pre-recorded session offers information and guidance if someone discloses to a professional that they have been raped or sexually assaulted. Delivered by Duncan from The Bridge, which is a Sexual Assault Referral Centre.
Available to all staff and Paramedic Science students
These sessions will take place on a monthly basis, covering a range of topics to help you tackle those paedatric jobs with confidence.
They have been generously offered to SWASFT by staff & students by the Bristol Royal Children's Hospital.
Suitable for Paramedics and Clinicians above this level plus Dip HE students.
This PROMPT training day includes managing birth complications, haemorrhage and basic new-born resuscitation with some fantastic practical sessions on pregnancy induced hypertension with hands‐on workshops on cord prolapse, vaginal breech and more.
Info & BookingAvailable to SORT trained staff only
SWAST have a legal responsibility to respond to acts of terrorism and incidents involving chemicals with the intent of saving and preserving life.
Available to all operational & bank staff
Open to all clinical grades and part time and bank staff.
Expressions of interest
This course will train you to form part of the specialist assets that respond to these incidents and to support the overall care of casualties in adverse environments whilst utilising safe systems of work which protects you and others.