Are there a certain number of patient hours required as part of the prerequisite for this course?
No. It is expected that the required number of hours has been completed during your time served in the military. However, your patient contact hours will need to be logged and evidenced in your CPD Portfolio. Please also note that it is your actual patient contact hours not your total number of hours worked that need to be evidenced.
If my CPD Portfolio is still incomplete at the end of the course, will I fail?
No. From the end of the course you will have one month to get your CPD Portfolio completed to the relevant standard and signed off. However, if you do not get your CPD Portfolio to the required level within the month, you will not be passed on the course.
Does my CPD Portfolio need to be submitted and checked through before the start of the course?
No. However, if you do wish your CPD Portfolio to be checked through then this can be arranged. You will also be given continual guidance and support for the duration of the course to aid you in completing your CPD Portfolio to the required standard.
How far in advance do I need to book onto the course?
This depends on your payment method. If you are funding the course yourself, then you can book onto the course as late as a week before it commences. However, if you are part funding payment of the course with your Enhanced Learning Credits then you will need to give additional time for your claim to be processed. It is recommended that you organise your ELC before booking on the course.
If I successfully complete the CMT1 Ambulance Technician Conversion Course can I then book onto the Modular Paramedic Course?
Part of the entry requirement for the Modular Paramedic Course is that you are a qualified IHCD Ambulance Technician. However, this qualification does not mean that you will be able to automatically eligible for entry to the Modular Paramedic Course. As an eligible candidate for the Modular Paramedic Course you will be required to sit a pre-test which will be conducted over a series of three days, comprising of theory and practical assessments. Following successful completion of the pre-test candidates will then be required to make a formal presentation and attend an interview. If you successfully pass all the pre-test requirements, you will then be offered a place on the Modular Paramedic Course.
Can I book onto the course and pay a deposit before I have started my ELC claims process?
You can book onto the course, however it is advised that you should not pay any money until you have secured approval from your Education Staff or have received your Claim Authorisation note. It is acceptable to provisionally book a place on the course without any initial payment. However, this will not guarantee you a place on the course if places fill up.
Can I pay upfront and then claim the money back?
No. ELCAS will not refund you the money, as your ELC contribution will be paid directly to Prometheus.
If I get deployed during the course and can no longer attend, what do I do?
It is your responsibility to contact ELCAS as soon as you possibly can. You must notify ELCAS with a letter from your line manager, who needs to explain the situation and this must be sent to ELCAS at the time you withdraw from the course.
What do I do if I have been discharged on medical grounds?
If you are medically discharged but have registered with the scheme, you are entitled to ELC, yet the amount will be determined by how long you were in service up until the date you were discharged. Depending on this, you will either be able to claim the lower amount of £1000 or the higher amount of £2000. Also, if you are medically discharged before you have completed four years of service, you may well be entitled to make a lower tier ELC claim if the injury or illness you were discharged for was caused or made worse by being in service (see the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (JSP 765)).
Do I have to discuss attending a course with my line manager?
Yes, you need to have the support of your line manager as they are the most likely to know if you are able to dedicate the required amount of time to the course as well as to your usual work obligations. Your line manager’s signature must also be included on your claim form.