I think it is only fair to point out to LearningNursing that technicians and paramedics can now do their training through the diploma and degree system. However, Which ever approach to learning the "accademic" stuff you still end up doing the same job. several of my colleagues have already got degree qualifications but they do the same job and earn the same money. My sister is also a Nurse and came out observing with the ambulance service. She was shocked at the variation in our work and just how many times we put ourselves at risk for our patients. She didn't realise or fully understand the full job that ambulance staff do and after just one day on the road her perception of ambulance staff has changed. I have heard some nursing staff refer to ambulance staff as being "thick" because - at the moment- a degree is not a requirement. is this really a fair opinion?! We have been told in our service that Technicians on band 4 are not aloud to work unsupervised, lift patients or give drugs which basically only leaves the driving left. The whole a4c banding system for the ambulance service needs to be reveiwed so that people are getting paid for the jobs they do and the skills they use but as yet this is taking far too long