CareRoute
Career family

Ambulance & theatres

Paramedics and operating department practice.

Browse ambulance & theatres rolesCareer map
Ambulance & theatres — NHS professional portrait
Roles in family
10
Salary range
£25,760–£64,750
Demand
High demand
Progression
Band 3–8a
Study path
Vocational entry → registered training → specialisation
Entry → senior
~9 yrs
NHS workforce data

Ambulance & theatres today, by the numbers

Salary range
£25,760–£64,750
Band 3–8a
Fastest growing
+8.9%
Operating Department Practitioner (YoY)
Most common next step
Advanced Clinical Practitioner
~3 yrs typically
NHS-wide vacancy
~6.7%
national rate (not per-region)
Workforce growth by role · year-on-year
Operating Department Practitioner
+8.9%
Surgical Care Practitioner
+8.9%
Paramedic
+7.5%
Associate Ambulance Practitioner
+5.7%
Specialist Paramedic (Primary & Urgent Care)
+5.3%
Critical Care Paramedic
+5.3%
Advanced Paramedic
+5.3%
Emergency Care Assistant
-3.9%

Indicative figures from NHS HCHS workforce statistics (2026) and Agenda for Change 2026/27 — for guidance only; verify against official NHS sources. Vacancy is the NHS-wide rate, not family-specific.

Career map

Climb the ladder

Tap a role to see its pay, the study it needs, and where it leads next.

  1. Emergency Care Assistant
    Band 2–3
    Salary
    £25,760–£27,476
    Time here
    Entry role
    Study needed
    No formal entry to start
    Leads to
    Associate Ambulance PractitionerParamedic
    Role details
Find your fit

What draws you in?

Pick what matters most and we'll point you to a role in this family to start exploring.

Compare

Roles at a glance

RoleBandSalaryStudyDemand
Emergency Care AssistantBand 2–3£25,760–£27,476LowSteady
Associate Ambulance PractitionerBand 4£28,392–£31,157ModerateHigh demand
ParamedicBand 5–6£32,073–£39,043HighHigh demand
Operating Department PractitionerBand 5£32,073–£39,043HighHigh demand
Ambulance Team Leader / Operations ManagerBand 6–7£39,959–£48,117LowGrowing
Specialist Paramedic (Primary & Urgent Care)Band 7£49,387–£56,515HighHigh demand
Critical Care ParamedicBand 7£49,387–£56,515HighHigh demand
Advanced ParamedicBand 7£49,387–£56,515HighHigh demand
Surgical Care PractitionerBand 7–8a£49,387–£56,515HighHigh demand
Consultant ParamedicBand 8a–8b£57,528–£64,750HighGrowing
Pay

What each role pays

Band entry to top-of-band after progression — indicative 2026/27 Agenda for Change basic pay.

Emergency Care AssistantBand 3 · £25,760–£27,476
Associate Ambulance PractitionerBand 4 · £28,392–£31,157
ParamedicBand 5 · £32,073–£39,043
Operating Department PractitionerBand 5 · £32,073–£39,043
Ambulance Team Leader / Operations ManagerBand 6 · £39,959–£48,117
Specialist Paramedic (Primary & Urgent Care)Band 7 · £49,387–£56,515
Critical Care ParamedicBand 7 · £49,387–£56,515
Advanced ParamedicBand 7 · £49,387–£56,515
Surgical Care PractitionerBand 7 · £49,387–£56,515
Consultant ParamedicBand 8a · £57,528–£64,750
Band entryTop of band
Qualifications

Your study path

  1. 01
    Vocational entry
  2. 02
    registered training
  3. 03
    specialisation

Ask the advisor anything

A practical coach grounded in real NHS-style role data — honest about pay, study and competition.

How do I get into ambulance & theatres with no experience?Which ambulance & theatres role pays best long term?What qualifications do I need for ambulance & theatres?Is ambulance & theatres a good career for the next 10 years?
Latest intelligence

Guides & updates

We're writing in-depth ambulance & theatres guides — pay, entry routes and progression. In the meantime, explore the roles and career map above.

FAQ

Questions, answered straight

It's indicative, based on the 2026/27 Agenda for Change bands — great for planning and comparison, but verify specifics against official NHS sources before deciding.
Explore roles

Every ambulance & theatres role

Emergency Care Assistant
Band 2–3 · £25,760–£27,476
Career Score · Mixed
CareRoute rating, relative to other NHS roles
Associate Ambulance Practitioner
Band 4 · £28,392–£31,157
Career Score · Mixed
CareRoute rating, relative to other NHS roles
Paramedic
Band 5–6 · £32,073–£39,043
Career Score · Solid
CareRoute rating, relative to other NHS roles
Operating Department Practitioner
Band 5 · £32,073–£39,043
Career Score · Strong
CareRoute rating, relative to other NHS roles
Ambulance Team Leader / Operations Manager
Band 6–7 · £39,959–£48,117
Career Score · Solid
CareRoute rating, relative to other NHS roles
Specialist Paramedic (Primary & Urgent Care)
Band 7 · £49,387–£56,515
Career Score · Solid
CareRoute rating, relative to other NHS roles
Critical Care Paramedic
Band 7 · £49,387–£56,515
Career Score · Limited
CareRoute rating, relative to other NHS roles
Advanced Paramedic
Band 7 · £49,387–£56,515
Career Score · Solid
CareRoute rating, relative to other NHS roles
Surgical Care Practitioner
Band 7–8a · £49,387–£56,515
Career Score · Strong
CareRoute rating, relative to other NHS roles
Consultant Paramedic
Band 8a–8b · £57,528–£64,750
Career Score · Mixed
CareRoute rating, relative to other NHS roles

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