As an ECA with South Central I am going to raise the issue of the role of ECA's within the service. It is quite clear that we are a cheap replacement for technicians. We are someones bright idea........the need to achieve Orcon targets (whatever the clinical need) whilst keeping costs down...ECA's are band 3 whilst technicians are band 4. It is as simple as that. As you said last year, this has serious reprecussions in a service where people depend on each other in the full knowledge that they have all had to jump through the same hoops. In an ideal world, ECA's would not exist...but they do. I went on to A&E because that was the job I wanted to do and I did not do it lightly or just because I liked the idea of driving through red lights. Most ECA's that I know think the same. We want that clinical training..we want to be equal partners....give us the training....present us with the hoops and let those who pass go on...those who do not...or do not care to take that challange, can remain where they are. Believe me.....the frustration of being a second class citizen within the ambulance service is as bad as trying to see the humour that drunks seem to think they posses on a Saturday night. We are, or should be, on the same side.