Choosing the right course is an essential part of the learning experience. Quite rightly you may have loads of questions and hopefully many of the answers can be found here:
- What courses do you provide?
- Whats the difference between the PHEC and the ICC
- Where are your courses run?
- How much do they cost?
- Whats included?
- Can you recommend accommodation?
- Can you provide a bespoke course?
- How often is the course reviewed and updated?
- How does the PHEC meet the requirements for stadia work?
- I won’t be working at road accidents, do you have a course for me?
- Who designs your courses?
- Why is there no paediatrics in the PHEC?
- What experience do your instructors have?
- Would I have a mentor on the course?
- How can I become an instructor?
- Whats the typical make up of a course’s student body?
- I’m a paramedic, are any of your courses suitable for me?
- I’m thinking about a PHEM career, will your courses be useful to me?
- I provide event medical cover, will your courses be of any use to me?
- I’m not a doctor or a nurse or a paramedic, can I attend?
About our courses:
1. What courses do you provide?
We currently provide the 3-day PHEC course, the 5-day ICC course and the 2-day PHEC Refresher course. We have plans to expand the range of courses on offer in due course. Detailed course information is available on their respective webpages.
2. What’s the difference between the PHEC and the ICC
The PHEC is a 3-day course that provides foundational knowledge and skills of emergency pre-hospital care of the adult for those who may be required to provide an initial (first) response due to their work or as a consequence of their role. This includes those working in occupational health and out of hours care as well as those working within event medical cover (particularly if working within the Green Guide framework) or as part of a voluntary rescue team. The PHEC also provides insight and skills for those interested in developing a more formal role in pre-hospital emergency care including as a PHEM trainee.
The ICC is a 5-day course for clinicians with some experience and knowledge of prehospital-emergency care. Focused towards those working within formal emergency settings such as an immediate care team, and ambulance service etc., the ICC is a well recognised and useful part of the preparation pathway for those undertaking higher professional qualifications such as the DipIMC,RCSEd. It includes a strong focus on working within, and leading multi-disciplinary teams including working with other agencies at a scene. The ICC extends current knowledge and includes care of all age ranges and prepares the participant to assist with pre-hospital RSIs.
3. Where are your courses run?
The courses are run at a number of venues across the country. Typically they are either a purpose-built course and conference centre, such as Yarnfield Park in Staffordshire, or a hotel with space and facilities for classroom and outside working. Details of the venues can be found on the courses webpages.
4. How much do they cost?
The PHEC costs £795 for members and £950 for non-members.
Pricing for the ICC costs £1295 for members and £1495 for non-members.
5. What’s included?
Your course costs include the teaching and all the equipment that you will use, we do suggest that if you have your own Hi-vis PPE (including helmet & debris gloves for the ICC) you bring it, but for those without we have stock to lend you. Refreshments, including hot drinks and a midday meal, are also included; depending on the venue this may include a buffet hot lunch or minimally a sandwich meal.
Accommodation is not provided.
6. Can you recommend accommodation?
We will provide a list of local accommodation and some of our venues may have on site rooms. You are responsible for finding and booking your own accommodation.
7. Can you provide a bespoke course?
We can and frequently do whether in the UK or abroad. Sometimes these are courses that have a particular focus (such as the urgent care services), a specific industry or setting, or through the inclusion of particular skills and patient groups. Please ask us about your requirements whether you require a day course or something more complex, including course delivered in stages.
The curriculum:
1. How often is the course reviewed and updated?
The courses are under constant review, they incorporate recent thinking and practice guidance. Both the PHEC and ICC were completely re-written in early 2020 with new course curricula, and have been updated since to keep abreast of new guidelines and relevant evidence bases. A component of all courses is a two-stage evaluation process; the first is from the participants and the second from the faculty.
2. How does the PHEC meet the requirements for stadia work?
The 2018 Sports Ground Safety Authority guidance (the Green Guide) provides detail regarding all aspects of the medical arrangements for stadia within its remit. The PHEC has been updated to meet the requirements of the Green Guide and to provide participants who undertake event medical work with experiences and understanding specific to their role, as well as introducing them to transferable skills from other areas of pre-hospital care.
The course content:
1. I won’t be working at road accidents, do you have a course for me?
The PHEC is the ideal course for you. Whilst it does cover the fundamentals of providing emergency care at an RTC, it is not focused on such events (if that is your need then you should consider the ICC) and does not include working within and around vehicles.
2. Who designs your courses?
Our courses are designed and written by experienced pre-hospital care practitioners and medical educationalists. They combine educational rigour with up-to-date practice and a blended approach to stimulating learning with a strong emphasis on practical skills and scenarios.
3. Why is there no paediatrics in the PHEC?
Primarily it’s a matter of time. The PHEC is a busy course as it is and to try and cram a range of paediatric skills would not do them justice and would negatively impact on the current contents. We do have a separate paediatric focused day’s course (pPHEC) which builds on the skills and knowledge of the PHEC to cover this area of emergency care. Currently, this is taught as part of the ICC course.
The instructional faculty:
1. What experience do your instructors have?
All of our instructors are experienced immediate care practitioners, many coming from a scheme background whilst others bring tactical, SAR, military and NHS ambulance experience. We have a policy that for specialist courses and some specialist parts of a course (i.e., the PHEA assist component of the ICC) that they are taught by current practitioners at that level.
2. Would I have a mentor on the course?
Yes, mentorship is an important part of our courses. Whilst short courses, all of our courses benefit from a strong component of syndicate work and this is underpinned by the mentors system.
3. How can I become an instructor?
First of all, don’t keep your aspirations to becoming an instructor a secret, tell us! Our instructors come from a range of professional and practice backgrounds and whilst they are expected to be able to contribute in all areas of our courses some have specific expertise in particular areas. Many have a scheme responder background, but not all. The one thing that marks all of our instructors out is their current credibility as a pre-hospital care practitioner many of whom possess the DipIMC or FIMC and a fair number also examine at this level.
We are constantly on the look out for potential instructors, we are looking for team players who can encourage and work alongside their peers and bring up to date knowledge and skills with ongoing practice exposure. Potential instructors are asked to return to a course as a candidate instructor and will be assessed by within a mentored system by senior faculty members.
Those attending:
1. What’s the typical make up of a course’s student body?
Each course is unique but typically it will include a multidisciplinary group of participants. On the PHEC some come with previous experience whilst others are complete novices. That provides for a great learning experience because, as with all courses, the knowledge rests within the room and not just with the faculty. PHEC courses may also include some non-HCP participants who work and volunteer within a range of different settings including various rescue services, the military as well as associate practitioners and emergency care support workers from the NHS.
The ICC is limited to HCPs and senior military medical technicians (with skills approaching that of their paramedic colleagues). With the distinct focus on enhanced levels of care, the experience within the room is again a major contributor to the learning experience as the faculty seek to assist you to transfer your skills and knowledge into the pre-hospital domains.
2. I’m a paramedic, are any of your courses suitable for me?
Yes, although the PHEC is unlikely to be the course for you unless you are returning to practice following a break or moving back into acute pre-hospital care practice from another area of practice. The ICC, however, is relevant for paramedic participants. Whilst much of the base material will be familiar territory the overall course approach and the focus on enhanced care skills will provide you with increased confidence and refine your approaches to patient care, team leadership and scene management.
3. I’m thinking about a PHEM career, will your courses be useful to me?
The PHEC course has been written with you in mind! If you already have some experience and want to travel further the ICC builds on your foundational skills and further prepares you for the PHEM environment.
4. I provide event medical cover, will your courses be of any use to me?
Yes! The PHEC course has a strong focus on the initial response to pre-hospital emergencies and has been written to meet the requirements of those providing event medical services within the confines of the Green Guide.
The ICC would benefit senior clinicians who work within large teams or anticipate providing complex care in their event work.
5. I’m not a doctor or a nurse or a paramedic, can I attend?
Please see the course information for each of our courses for the detail. The PHEC has a wider access and includes non-HCPs who work or volunteer in a range of specialist roles within pre-hospital care such as mountain rescue, the military and ambulance emergency care.
The ICC is focused on experienced clinicians although is open to the more senior levels of military medical technicians.