GHA Marks International Paramedics Day

The Gibraltar Health Authority has marked International Paramedics Day.

A statement from the Government follows below:

This International Paramedics Day, the Gibraltar Health Authority is not only celebrating its frontline heroes but also reflecting on a remarkable journey of clinical evolution, from the apprehension surrounding solo response vehicles to the introduction of non-medical prescribing and multidisciplinary urgent care. 

GHA paramedics are showcasing just how far pre-hospital care has come on the Rock. When the first cohort of paramedics qualified in 2013, they fundamentally transformed the philosophy of emergency care in Gibraltar. 

One of the most significant milestones was the introduction of the Rapid Response Vehicle (RRV). Moving from a double-crewed ambulance equipped with a stretcher to responding alone in a rapid response vehicle, carrying only a rucksack filled with advanced clinical equipment and medicines, represented a significant psychological and professional shift. 

Currently, building on the future, GHA paramedics are now preparing for their most advanced evolution yet. Several paramedics are currently reading an MSc in Advanced Paramedic Practice, broadening their scope to include advanced diagnostics and non-medical prescribing, enabling them to independently supply and administer a wider range of medicines. 

"We were leaving the traditional safety net of the ambulance behind, taking some of the expertise of the Emergency Department directly into the community, often arriving first at the scene of a cardiac arrest or major trauma with just our hands, our heads and our drugs. It was a big change, and we were genuinely concerned about how the public would perceive this," recalls Sigurd Haveland, Chief Paramedic Officer and one of Gibraltar's pioneering paramedics. 

GHA Director General Dr Paul Bosio said: "Gibraltar's paramedics are a forward-thinking service that has earned the trust of the community through the professionalism and dedication they have demonstrated over the years. International Paramedics Day honours not only the blue lights and sirens, but also the quiet confidence, clinical expertise and professionalism of a highly skilled mobile workforce, together with the dedicated colleagues who support them every step of the way." 

The Minister for Health and Care, the Hon Gemma Arias-Vasquez MP, said: "I would like to congratulate GHA paramedics on International Paramedics Day and thank them for their tireless work. The service has evolved far beyond the ambulance and solo responder model. Today, it is about managing acute conditions in patients' homes whenever it is safe to do so, helping to avoid unnecessary hospital admissions. 

"We must also acknowledge the wider team behind the valuable work of our paramedics – our emergency responders, care assistants, 111 and 999 call handlers, and the dedicated clinicians working behind the scenes. They are the backbone of our service, and this day belongs to them as well."