Coventry University First In UK To Appoint Australian Paramedic As Visiting Professor In Pre-hospital Care

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 04 Jun 2009 - 0:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   opinions  

Dr Peter O'Meara, Associate Professor in Pre-hospital Care at Charles Sturt University in Australia, is the first non-UK paramedic to be appointed to a three year visiting Professor post in the UK in the subject of Pre-Hospital Care.

Peter, the first paramedic in Australia to be awarded a PhD and a leader in terms of his academic and professional innovations, is responsible for over-seeing one of the most successful Paramedic Degree course in Australia.

Peter is currently at Coventry University working on a project with Professor Malcolm Woollard, Professor in Pre-hospital and Emergency Care at Coventry University entitled "Influence of evidence on ambulance service policy and practice: a service evaluation".

With this paper they aim to use a service evaluation of NHS trusts to develop an understanding of how ambulance systems in the UK are evolving in response to the demands for evidence-based policy and practice.

Peter explains:

"I hope to be able to use this research to determine the extent to which ambulance services in the UK have changed their service delivery models, organisational structures and cultures and to understand how both pressures to become evidence-based providers of healthcare and higher education institutions have influenced these changes. I'm here until mid-July gathering information for this project and if all goes to plan, it should be published by the end of the year."

Malcolm, who is also Chair of the College of Paramedics (the professional body for ambulance personnel), commented on the appointment:

"We are very lucky to have Peter working with us here at Coventry University. We've already established a close working relationship with Charles Sturt University and Peter and I have completed some joint research projects together, as well as joint presentations at international conferences and I'm looking forward to building on this whilst he is with us."

Commenting on other reasons for the collaboration with this highly successful professor, Malcolm explains:

"We're looking to develop our relationship with Charles Sturt University with a possible introduction of staff and student exchange programmes. It's not something we've done before but we'd love to explore the possibility of creating these opportunities."

Source
Coventry University

• Additional
• References
• Citations