Aim 

The aim of this forum is to provide those interested in prehospital care with a resource to network and develop appropriate knowledge and skills in the field of prehospital emergency care. Events will consist of monthly NI PHEC meetings chaired by BASICs doctors and paramedics with presentations on important and interesting topics in the field of prehospital emergency care.

Objectives:

1. Unification of all stakeholders towards a common goal of excellence in prehospital emergency care in NI

2. Provision of information to facilitate continuous professional development and access to appropriate training, validation or registration of knowledge and skills in prehospital emergency care

3. Promote interaction between the various agencies and disciplines to facilitate promulgation of high standards, positive working relationships in order to develop efficiency and efficacy of interagency work in the prehospital setting

4. Increase recruitment of the next generation of leaders in the feils of prehospital care in Northern Ireland and development oftrainingpathway for recruitment of profesionals to the speciality.

Role of the forum

As outlined in the site, there are several voluntary, professional and staturtory agencies in NI responsible for the provision of prehospital emergency care.  Development of the PHEC NI Forum adds another agency to this mix!  However, the forum occuppies a underdeveloped but vital niche in the field of prehospital care and its role is out lined below.

1. Promote contiunuous professional development among prehospital professionals and practitioners through case based self directed learning by review of current evidence, medical literature and guidelines relevnat to a particular topic / case in a multiprofessional forum.
2. Liaise with the RCS Ed Faculty of prehospital care regarding attainment and maintenance of RCS Validation.
3. Provide a forum for professional and social interaction of suitably trained and experienced prehospital professionals and practitioners.
4. Act as an additional source for the promulgation of relevant standards and updated guidelines (Faculty prehospital care, JRCALC etc.) among prehospital care organisations
5. Promote the concept of evidence based & self directed learning and the use of electronic library and literature searching tools.
6. Implement appropriate educational initiatives to increase recruitment and professional development of the next generation of prehospital care doctors in Northern Ireland (see below).