Ambulance reality TV may be familiar, but that does not make it ethically unproblematic. This post examines whether bringing film crews into frontline paramedic care can be reconciled with our responsibilities around trust, privacy, confidentiality and informed consent, and whether the claimed benefits of these programmes justify that intrusion.
I use AI regularly, but not to replace the thinking, reading and writing that underpin my work. This post explains where AI fits into my workflow, where I deliberately keep it out, and what I have learned about using these tools without outsourcing the difficult work of thinking for myself.
Calling an ED or ambulance presentation ‘inappropriate’ sounds straightforward until we try to define one. This post examines the evidence behind low-acuity and GP-suitable presentations, why triage cannot determine who needs emergency care, the limited effect of primary care diversion, and what actually contributes to emergency department overcrowding.
Campaigns urging the public to save ambulances for emergencies sound sensible, but the evidence behind them is limited. If clinicians cannot agree on what constitutes an inappropriate call, can we expect the public to decide? More importantly, could these messages discourage people with genuine healthcare needs from seeking timely help?
The 25th of July is World Drowning Prevention Day. In this post I share five things I want everyone, and particularly clinicians, to know about drowning.
Paramedics occupy a position of considerable public trust. That trust gives the profession influence and influence carries responsibility. This article explores how advocacy is one way to live up to that responsibility.
This opening post for The Paramedic Academic explains why the site exists: to create a central, independent space for evidence-informed commentary on paramedicine, regional health, emergency systems and equity. Slightly less journal article, slightly more human.
