Mr Tom Kidney

On finishing college, I gained a position working in my local hospital pharmacy. This lead to a place on the BSc (Hons) Paramedic Science program at the University of East Anglia (UEA), which I enrolled on in September 2014. 

As a student with UEA, I gained a roll with Festival Medical Services (FMS) as a volunteer student paramedic for Reading and Glastonbury festival. I am still volunteering with FMS today as a qualified paramedic.

In the final months of studying with UEA, the lecturing team secured paramedic students a place on the UK Resuscitation Council Advanced Life Support certificated course, to which I achieved.

I began my career in October 2017 with the East of England Ambulance Service Trust (EEAST) where I gained my initial 'on the road' experience. I had obtained an Associate Tutor (AT) role with UEA on graduating. 4 months later (February 2018), I had officially started a remote paramedic role in the tropics, the Cook Islands. I held this position as the only practicing paramedic in the country, being the youngest working for the local ambulance service at the age of 23. I had helped develop a local Community First Responder (CFR) scheme alongside the local fire service. I had written a paramedic scope of practice, ambulance officer scope of practice and a medicines management policy which was put forward for approval in New Zealand. I had spent some time training local ambulance officers, nurses, student nurses and doctors within the pre-hospital environment. My role also involved medical retrieval via boat and plane from the more remote islands.

I left my remote paramedic role in April 2019 to return home and enroll on a MSc in Extreme Medicine. In May 2019, I gained a role with Lubas Medical Ltd as a Medic Coordinator for approximately 80 medics. My role consisted of working as a film set medic for a HBO and BBC production, His Dark Materials (Season 1 and 2), as well as coordinating the medics to cover other locations for filming and set building. I would also cover Cardiff City Football Club (CCFC) as a pitch-side medic. Before leaving Lubas Medical, I spent the last 2 months training Welsh Dental and GP surgeries in compulsory basic first aid and Basic Life Support (BLS).

On leaving Lubas Medical, I joined the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust (WAST) in February 2020 as a frontline paramedic to support the demand during the COVID-19 pandemic. I held this position until November 2020. I had then joined the Paramedic Science team in Plymouth and continue to evolve into the clinician I aspire to be. My aim is to gain a PGCert in Clinical Education to further my skills in educating future paramedics. I am aiming to further my knowledge on Global Health whilst with the University of Plymouth (UoP).

I have a specific interest in polar, tropical, wilderness/remote medicine and global health which I aim to use to assist students within their training.

Qualifications

2020 - Introduction to Teaching and Learning (ITL) Level 7 - University of Plymouth (UoP)

2020 - Lecturer in Paramedic Science - University of Plymouth (UoP)

2020 - Paramedic - Welsh Ambulance Service Trust (WAST)

2020 - Winter Alpine Skills Level 7 - University of Exeter

2019 - Core Concepts in Extreme Medicine Level 7 - University of Exeter

2019 - MSc in Extreme Medicine (current) - University of Exeter

2019 - Medic Coordinator and Trainer - Lubas Medical Ltd.

2018 - Remote Paramedic - Cook Islands

2017 - Newly Qualified Paramedic (NQP) - East of England Ambulance Service Trust (EEAST)

2017 - Advanced Life Support Certified - UK Resuscitation Council

2017 - BSc (Hons) Paramedic Science - University of East Anglia (UEA)

2015 - Current: Volunteer Events Medic - Festival Medical Services (FMS)

2012 - Hospital Pharmacy Dispenser - National Health Service (NHS)

Professional membership

Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) - Registered Paramedic (PA42937)

College of Paramedics - Member

Helsedirektoratet - Registered Ambulansearbeider/ Paramedic (10118832)