Passing the mantle: a parting farewell

This issue of the Journal of Paramedic Practice will be my last as editor. It has been an honour and privilege to edit a publication aimed at one of the most exciting healthcare professions, and I am grateful for being given this fantastic opportunity. I took over the journal in 2013, having previously worked on a nursing title, and in those few short years have witnessed a notable change within the paramedic profession.

The publication of the Francis report marked the beginning of my time as editor, and although not directly concerned with paramedics, it highlighted a need for cultural change within the NHS, with an emphasis on patient-focused care. This was followed by the long overdue update to the UK Ambulance Services Clinical Practice Guidelines, which was welcomed by the profession. The latest update was published earlier this year.

The publication of the end of study report for the Paramedic Evidence Based Project (PEEP), which called for the introduction of a national education and training framework for paramedics, marked a turning point for the profession and highlighted how its needs were changing. This was cemented in Sir Bruce Keogh's Urgent and Emergency Care Review, which called for the development of 999 ambulance services so that they become mobile urgent treatment services. Illustrating an appreciation of the skill set of paramedics, their potential in the delivery of pre-hospital care was finally being recognised.