Pre-Hospital Provider Competencies
UKREMT maps registrants against the Faculty of Pre-Hospital Care (Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh) PHEM Competency Descriptors and Framework, Grades A–H. The official framework is used as the benchmark for grade descriptors and the competency matrix shown below.
Descriptors source: FPHC / RCSEd — PHEM Competency Descriptors & Framework
Current competency matrix: 20241106 PHEM Competency Framework (FPHC; published on the endorsement page, updated 29 November 2024)
How UKREMT uses the RCSEd / FPHC framework
The Faculty of Pre-Hospital Care states that, to be recognised at a level, a practitioner must have all of the skills at that level. A practitioner may hold additional skills from a higher level without automatically operating at that higher level.
The official descriptors also state that Grades C–H operate within a framework of governance and continuing professional development (CPD). UKREMT therefore uses the A–H framework as a competency benchmark, not as a standalone licence to practise, prescribe, administer medicines, use protected titles or exceed an individual's actual competence and governance.
PHEM Grades Overview
Registrant Levels
Competency Matrix
| Competency | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pass in BLS + AED | ||||||||
| Pass in ALS | ||||||||
| Wear correct PPE for incident | ||||||||
| Demonstrate understanding of scene safety and casualty safety | ||||||||
| Perform dynamic risk assessment of scene and casualty safety | ||||||||
| Understand and apply the HAZMAT code |
| Competency | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Communicate effectively with Emergency Services | ||||||||
| Basic knowledge of the capabilities of different Emergency Services Personnel | ||||||||
| Ability to use appropriate radio communications | ||||||||
| Appropriate awareness of high risk mechanisms of injury | ||||||||
| Awareness of triage | ||||||||
| Competence in Ten Second Triage (TST) | ||||||||
| Competence in Major Incident Triage Tool (MITT) | ||||||||
| Ability to make decisions on casualty dispersal | ||||||||
| Ability to incident command | ||||||||
| Demonstrate forensic awareness | ||||||||
| Awareness of simple consent issues |
Official Annexe — Additional Skills Some Level H Providers May Have
- Rapid Sequence Induction (RSI)
- Thoracotomy
- eFAST (Extended Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma)
- Emergency Caesarean Section