What does the LAS do?

The London Ambulance Service (LAS) is responsible for delivering ambulance services and providing pre-hospital care throughout London under PoliceMP. The LAS promptly responds to a diverse range of emergencies, including medical crises, road traffic accidents, and incidents that sometimes require specialist training.

The LAS operates in close collaboration with other agencies, such as the police, and employs specialised teams equipped with advanced medical equipment, staffed by highly trained medical professionals. As part of the larger National Health Service, the LAS is one of three divisions, including HEMS and HART, that collectively deliver life-saving care in both urgent and critical situations, regardless of their complexity.

How to apply for LAS

Becoming an LAS Student Paramedic is incredibly straightforward. The application process involves a simple entry application that you can complete immediately, receiving an instant pass or fail response. To apply for LAS Student Paramedic role, you can click here.

As a Student Paramedic, this position offers you the chance to shape your future within the LAS. During your initial probation period of one week, you will have the opportunity to absorb valuable new information, participate in highly rewarding scenes, and take control of your own development within the NHS. There are no requirements to maintain LAS Paramedic, you are the one in control of how active you are within the LAS.

Progression Routes

Advanced Paramedic

The LAS has several progression routes, branching out into HEMS and HART specialist divisions. As a standard Paramedic, you have the ability to choose 2 of 3 progression routes.

The first route of progression is directly within the LAS, allowing you to become an Advanced Paramedic. Being an Advanced Paramedic is very rewarding and allows you to take on more advanced clinical practice, giving you access to a fleet of rapid response vehicles, unlocking new treatments and drugs and getting fancy red epaulettes to help identify you in the field.

To apply for Advanced Paramedic, you must have been in the LAS for 3 weeks (1 week probation + 2 weeks as Paramedic) and have completed the paramedic trauma development package.

There is a further progression of MERIT Doctor within the LAS. These professionals deal with urgent care, responding to domestic medical emergencies and attending appointments. MERIT Doctors are also equipped with the most advanced equipment used to help save life-critical injuries.

HART

Another progression route is the HART specialist division, which operates as part of the broader National Health Service. Joining HART enables you to handle the most hazardous and challenging situations, such as industrial accidents, water rescues, or entering burning buildings to extract casualties.

As a HART member, you will have access to a diverse fleet of rapid and incident response vehicles, equipping you to effectively respond to various emergencies. This role offers a unique opportunity to contribute to critical and complex rescue operations.

HART also offers a further progression route of SORT. SORT consists of HART Paramedics who have undergone additional specialist training to work in CBRN incidents, decontamination procedures and attend MTAs. HART SORT is application based.

To apply for HART, you must have been in the LAS for 1 week (completed probation) and have completed the RTC management development package.

HEMS

The third progression route is the HEMS specialist division, which also operates within the broader National Health Service. Joining HEMS grants you the opportunity to deliver critical care in the face of severe medical emergencies.

HEMS teams specialise in critical care and are specifically trained to handle the most severe injuries at the scene of incidents. This role involves providing advanced medical interventions and immediate life-saving measures in critical situations, ensuring that patients receive the highest level of care in the prehospital setting.

HEMS also offers a further progression route of HEMS Doctor. This subdivision of HEMS allows you to respond to the most complex cases, allowing you to perform roadside surgery and resolve the most complicated medical emergencies. To apply for HEMS Doctor, you must have at least 50 hours overall for HEMS.

To apply for HEMS, you must have been in the LAS for 1 week (completed probation) and have completed the trauma development package.

Training Offered

Being part of LAS gives you several opportunities to further advance your clinical understanding. We offer a large range of both trainer-led and self-taught development packages.

Our trainer-led development packages include:

Trauma | RTC Management | Communications | Joint Response Unit | Pain Management | Burns & Scalds | Advanced Paramedic

Our self-taught development packages include:

Managing a Traumatic Brain Injury | Major Incident Guidance

You can apply for these packages at any time in the LAS-form-hub. You must be an LAS Paramedic to apply. The self-taught packages are available at any time in the formhub.