In October 2020, ACP was pleased to deliver our first fully online and interactive paramedic conference. The conference attracted over 1100 attendees, 60 speakers and 36 sessions.

Presented by: Dr Polly Ford-Jones

This presentation explores what practices exist in paramedic education and training for mental health and psychosocial care and to what extent paramedics and educators find this training to be sufficient. We analyse the training and education practices in this area of paramedicine and the conditions for paramedic skill development both for paramedic students and for ongoing continuing medical education (CME). A lack of mental health training in paramedicine is identified and a need for further training prior to entry to practice and ongoing through CME. Promising practices for such training are identified.

Biography: Dr. Polly Ford-Jones AEMCA, PhD is a Professor in Allied Health at the Humber Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and a practicing primary care paramedic. She completed her MA and PhD in Health Policy and Equity at York University. Her research experience and interests are in prehospital mental health and psychosocial care, the social determinants of physical and mental health and health equity.