Ambulance trust recruits paramedics from Poland to ease shortage

The appointments came after two recruitment trips to Poland, which resulted in four paramedics starting in March and a further 16 are due to in June.

Trust chief executive Will Hancock said: “Recruitment of qualified staff remains challenging locally and nationally. We are also attending a careers day at the University of Rzeszów on 15 April, where 100 students are due to graduate. Online advertising has also resulted in enquiries from paramedics in Australia and other Eastern European countries, and all are being followed up.”

HSJ reported in January that ambulance services across England were looking overseas to fill gaps in their paramedic workforce as they grappled with vacancy rates as high as 25 per cent.