Ant's Journey - Deputy Chief Paramedic

Ant Kitchener is our deputy chief paramedic. He has been with the Trust for 22 years.

I have had many different roles at the Trust, all of which have played a part in leading me to my current role as the deputy chief paramedic. My job now leads workforce development and clinical quality.

My first role in 2003 was as a student paramedic with part time study at university, which then led me to becoming a emergency medical technician, then a qualified paramedic. From there, I progressed in frontline roles to a community paramedic, clinical team leader and then emergency care practitioner. I eventually moved into the education space as a senior university lecturer in paramedicine, as well as developing as an advanced clinical practitioner and one of the first paramedic prescribers in the UK. At university I taught advanced practice, medical sciences, pharmacology, and a few other subject areas.

It is an exciting time for both the paramedic profession as a whole, and the Trust, and my role as deputy chief paramedic will help support our colleagues to provide the safest and highest quality care possible.

Day to day, I lead a team of senior managers who oversee the education and research, legal and compliance, safeguarding, health and safety, and infection prevention and control teams. I spend lots of times with teams at our university partners and with regulators such as NHS England. I hold an associate professor appointment with the University of East Anglia, and a visiting senior clinical fellow appointment with the University of Hertfordshire. I have also published in two different paramedic textbooks, as well as authored lots of CPD materials used across the profession.

The sense of direction, duty, and service you get from working for the Trust makes me proud to be a part of the team and to demonstrate impact through the development of new clinical staff here at EEAST.