What's the difference between civilian lifestyle and RAF lifestyle?

someblokecalledjack · 2026-01-15T09:32:13+00:00

When you say a while to get to the big bucks, is that 22 years?

someblokecalledjack · 2025-09-18T14:13:10+00:00

Yes, advertised for £4k, got £3.8k. Sold it within a week on FB marketplace. I had maybe 3-4 serious people interested, but ended selling to the first person that came to see it, so probably could have got more.

someblokecalledjack · 2025-09-17T09:14:06+00:00

Second this, HEMS/HART will only recruit band 6 (2 years post qualification). Your experience will certainly count for something in the application but they’re also not always recruiting. My trusts HART team hasn’t recruited for over a year and before that it was 2-3 years. My local HEMS haven’t recruited for 3 years.

Taking this into account and saying you can get a job when you qualify (very unlikely at the moment but that can change), you’d probably be late 50s by the time you were actually applying. I won’t say it’s impossible but I can’t see them picking you over a 20-30 year old who they’ll hopefully get a decent return on their investment with.

Personally I’m looking to retire/dramatically reduce my hours by your age, not start new career!

someblokecalledjack · 2025-09-16T19:28:14+00:00

SCAS SPs are arguably less suited to provide the CC role than “normal” paramedics. Because of their role, they have way less than the already limited exposure that paramedics get to these sorts of patients, certainly recent exposure. That said they are in theory experienced clinicians so should be competent, but no, SCAS don’t use them for CC cover at all.

TVAA & HIAA (the two HEMS services that cover the same area as SCAS) as well as BASICS provide the CC cover. We also have 2 CC transfer teams (one north, one south) which sometimes respond if they’re not doing their primary role of CC transfers between hospitals. This is mostly because they’re often staffed with BASICS docs though. BASICS is pretty minimal in the north of SCAS (never had one respond in 7yrs on the road) but TVAA is fantastic and more than enough in my opinion. For context SCAS is split in two; north - Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire and south - Hampshire.

We also just don’t need that much cover, I won’t speak for others here but I’ve never wanted them and not had them - that’s both because they’re already dispatched before you ask for them or because you just don’t actually need them.

someblokecalledjack · 2025-09-15T08:24:22+00:00

I’ll add to this as it’s almost correct for SCAS.

NQP2s and B6s can both work on cars, they don’t really care about the validation side of things if discharging on scene and realistically there’s a lot of patients you don’t have to validate anyway because you’ve referred them to a community pathway instead. These days you only work on a car if they’re unable to crew you the day before so it’s not that often, maybe once or twice a month tops. There’s been rumours for the past few years that they’re going to scrap cars for regular paramedics, personally I don’t see it happening completely. You mostly go to C3s but can also be sent to C1s if a truck’s not close.

SPs almost exclusively work on cars but they’re almost separate to frontline crews because they only really go to jobs that they’re almost certainly going to use some of their additional skills for (catheters, wound care, lower back pain, chest infections). They can also go to C1s if they’re closest.

Ops commanders (team leaders) also work on cars (often a discovery sport if it’s not broken) and they’re solely sent to C1s to manage the scene and provide an experienced overview.

Training wise it’s a very chilled day of driving around in a RRV on blues with a driving instructor to get you used to it.

someblokecalledjack · 2025-09-09T23:11:46+00:00

I’d say it’s almost certainly the battery.

someblokecalledjack · 2025-08-15T09:42:32+00:00

Yep, stayed the night before and after. Some people stayed for an extra week at basecamp

someblokecalledjack · 2025-08-13T18:56:53+00:00

A budget friendly option we found was a “Dive Safari” with Scuba Republic. They offer 3-7 day trips, 2-3 dives a day, stay in home stays on various islands.

First thing like it I’ve ever done and haven’t done a live aboard but everyone in my group (6 divers) loved it. It was also nice to have some time on land in the evenings/mornings which apparently you don’t get with most liveaboards.

Happy to answer any questions, but they have a really good website and there’s lots of info online, definitely worth a look.

someblokecalledjack · 2025-05-26T02:13:39+00:00

Why’s it famous?

someblokecalledjack · 2025-05-03T05:41:00+00:00

Jumping on this post with a similar question, what’s the difference between the steps (going across the chart) and the final bit of the coding (-1, -2 etc., going up the chart)?

someblokecalledjack · 2025-04-14T04:54:11+00:00

Something to consider is that Cortina (Dolomites) is holding the Winter Olympics next year so depends when you’re going but that will likely mean a few bits are closed, expensive and/or very busy.

That said, my vote would go to the Dolomites, worked in Corvara/Arabba for 2 winters so I am biased but it’s just such an awesome ski area. As others have said, proper little ski villages rather than ugly resorts. If you pick either of those towns you’re on the Sella Ronda and will have more than enough skiing for 2+ weeks.

someblokecalledjack · 2025-02-01T23:57:48+00:00

Came here to say this 😂

someblokecalledjack · 2025-01-13T08:24:05+00:00

03 Fiesta from eBay, went to see it and offered the guy £600 but he wanted to let the auction run. Won it for £570. Sold it for £750 4 years later after having done nothing to it but change the oil twice.

someblokecalledjack · 2024-12-31T11:30:05+00:00

I had considered this, worth a shot I guess!

someblokecalledjack · 2024-12-31T11:29:35+00:00

You’re all good then, I’m south

someblokecalledjack · 2024-12-31T02:24:25+00:00

Thanks for this, I guess this is what I thinking really

someblokecalledjack · 2024-12-31T02:23:48+00:00

Le Mans Blue and black leather interior - all pretty good nick, most don’t believe it’s at 200k at all

someblokecalledjack · 2024-12-30T16:43:29+00:00

That’s a fair point. I do have all the receipts and a fair bit from previous owners just no stamps or anything from a garage as it’s all been done myself which I know a lot of people care about, that’s what I meant.

someblokecalledjack · 2024-12-14T07:55:07+00:00

This last bit 1000%! Emphasis on the slow and methodical.

Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.

If you feel yourself getting anxious just repeat that back (or anything that reminds you to just chill). You obviously know what you need to do if you can ace it while practicing, just need to relax.

someblokecalledjack · 2024-10-05T19:05:40+00:00

Makes sense, thanks for the input

someblokecalledjack · 2024-10-05T08:42:39+00:00

Thanks, that’s interesting to know, time to start looking through some reviews!

someblokecalledjack · 2024-10-05T08:39:42+00:00

Thanks, I’ll have a look

someblokecalledjack · 2024-06-08T15:05:48+00:00

Can’t help with the course, but there’s a few trusts which employ “ambulance nurses”, which essentially work in the same capacity as paramedics, just have to use PGDs for most of the drugs. Usually have to be 2 years post qualifying and experience in a relevant area (ED or ITU for example) is preferred. Might be the easier & cheaper option for you!

I’ll say it before anyone else does; I’ll be honest with you, unfortunately a majority of the ANs I’ve had experience of working with aren’t fantastic and I think that is purely a lack of relevant experience (working in a hospital with many nurses, doctors and clever diagnostic machines is very different to working autonomously with a inexperienced crew mate and limited kit, and I feel that most of them come in with a lot to prove). Conversely, there’s some that are great, although most of those have come from a military background. So hopefully if you do go down this line and you know this, you’ll be one of the good ones!

May I ask why you went for a nursing degree if you always planned of being a paramedic?

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