This level of first aid skill requires specialist training and continuous refresher training. Since 1995 the Force has worked in association with the Hospital Authority (HA) to develop a tailor-made Police Paramedic Training Programme and, to date, a total of 92 officers have successfully undergone this training, the latest group of 22 officers recently joined the other qualified officers in the Police Paramedic Cadre who are fully-trained and fully-equipped to offer advanced pre-hospital medical care.

The training programme is jointly organised by the HA and Training Development Bureau, Training Wing, on an annual basis, and under the direction of Force First Aid & Paramedic Training Advisor, Dr Chung Chin-hung, who has the generous assistance of other specialist medical practitioners and nursing officers from the HA.

The seven-day "Police Paramedic Course" is designed for selected officers attached to a number of Force units, including the Special Duties Unit, Airport Security Unit, VIP Protection Unit, Witness Protection Unit, Criminal Intelligence Bureau and Police Tactical Unit.

At the end of the course, participants can be confident in dealing with all common medical emergencies encountered in the course of their duties. After the intensive training phase officers are attached to the hospital accident and emergency departments for three days. The qualification level of this training is comparable to Emergency Medical Assistant II in the Ambulance Services and includes instruction in topics such as airway and breathing management, intravenous access and fluid resuscitation, trauma management, wound management and suturing, advanced cardiac management, triage and disaster management and the handling of nuclear, biological and chemical incidents and terrorism management.

At the graduation ceremony held on March 15, Chief Superintendent, In-Service Training, Mr Paul Hung Hak-wai said: "The strategies of Police policy have been focusing on the provision of professional service with a view to obtaining public recognition of the professional status of the Force."

Mr Hung noted that Training Wing is always making efforts in developing professional training and making the necessary arrangement for the Force members to meet the challenges of a constantly evolving, knowledge-based society.

"On behalf of the Commissioner and my colleagues, and in particular those officers being awarded certificates today, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Hospital Authority Coordination Committee Chairman, Dr Beatrice Cheng, the North District Hospital Chief Executive Dr Lai Kung-kong, the Police First Aid and Paramedic Training Advisor Dr Chung Chin-hung and all the doctors and professional trainers who shared their expertise with us," Mr Hung concluded.

Another 22 officers join the ranks of the Police Paramedic Cadre

Paramedics receive specialist training from Hospital Authority experts