Mark's Journey - Advanced Clinical Practitioner

Mark Giddens is an advanced clinical practitioner who has been with the Trust for 34 years.

I started my career straight from school at the age of 16, back when it was just the Hertfordshire Ambulance Service. I started in the emergency operations centre (EOC) control room taking non-urgent calls, before progressing onto emergency calls. From there, I moved into a role within the patient transport service (PTS), then to frontline operations as an emergency medical technician (EMT) in 1996.

I continued to develop and progress within my frontline career, becoming a paramedic in 2000, an emergency care practitioner (ECP) in 2006 and after completing my BSc Hons degree in 2008, I have since progressed to become an advanced paramedic in urgent care, and I am now an advanced clinical practitioner overseeing mentoring our advanced and specialist paramedics.

I was very young when I first joined, with little life experience. I have grown up with the ambulance service, developing around me, and as I grew as a person I embraced the new developments that evolved.

The service has changed so much over time and faced many challenges. Some good, some bad. The evolution of pre-hospital practice has advanced at a fast pace and keeping up has been hard at times, but well worth the effort.

Its the BEST job in the world. You are entering a patients life at either their worst time or best time, depending on the circumstances. We are placed in a very unique position and should respect that. We are there at some patients most vulnerable times and the way we interact with them, treat them, talk to them even smile and look at them will probably stay with them for a lifetime.

Calling 999 can be a once in a lifetime event. Giving the patient/family the best service, every time will also stay with them for a lifetime!

I have always been proud to wear my uniform. This is a vocation, rather than just a job. Its a privilege to help people in their hour of need.

EEAST are very supportive and are working hard to develop their staff to enable them to be the best they can be.