Scottish Paramedics to Be Allowed to Prescribe Drugs

SCOTTISH paramedics are to be the first in the UK permitted to prescribe drugs to patients while responding to 999 calls.

Staff at the Scottish Ambulance Service are already being trained to provide a range of treatment for patients in their own homes.

Health bosses hope the measures will reduce the number of unnecessary journeys to hospital made by patients with easily treated illnesses.

They claim trained medics could treat cuts, infections and chronic diseases such as epilepsy, asthma and diabetes in addition to the service’s usual 999 service.

Ambulance bosses in Scotland last night denied that they plan to cut the number of patrols. Instead, they say, the trained medics will be able to ease pressure on overstretched emergency hospital units.

Adrian Lucas, chief executive of the Scottish Ambulance Service, revealed that it had already begun training its staff for their new role.

Nearly a dozen paramedics have taken up positions in busy emergency units such as Edinburgh’s Western General. They are learning how to interpret X-rays, perform tests, use and prescribe drugs and deal with minor injuries.

Another 60 ambulance staff are doing courses in treating minor injuries before being sent to rural out-of-hours units.

But doctors warned against allowing paramedics to treat complex cases in the home.

Marie Scott, chairwoman of the Royal College of GPs in Scotland, said:

“An expanded role for paramedics would have to be an addition to the GP service rather than a replacement.”