Learning on the job: feedback and integration of paramedics in general practice

Paramedic involvement in general practice has expanded rapidly in response to workforce pressures and rising patient demand. Feedback and educational support are recognised as essential for clinician development, wellbeing, and patient safety. While existing studies have explored paramedics' transition more broadly, little is known about the experiences of non-roadmap paramedics (NRPs), who fall outside structured supervision frameworks.

To explore how NRPs experience feedback and educational support in primary care, and how these processes influence professional learning, role integration, and wellbeing.

A qualitative study was conducted with eight NRPs working in English general practice. Participants were recruited via purposeful and snowball sampling. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken online, transcribed, and analysed thematically using Braun and Clarke's framework. Reflexivity and supervision supported rigour and credibility throughout.

Four themes were identified. First, participants described adjusting from ambulance service feedback, based on negative events, to a more educational model in general practice. Second, ad hoc case-based discussions were the most common form of feedback, valued for their immediacy and reassurance. Third, time and organisational constraints limited structured learning opportunities, with formal appraisals often absent or superficial. Finally, autonomy was both empowering and isolating, influencing opportunities for feedback and role clarity. Supportive practice cultures fostered feedback as a routine and developmental process, aiding integration.

Feedback is central to NRPs integration and professional growth in general practice. However, reliance on ad hoc exchanges and lack of structured support risk undermining development. Sustainable integration requires time, mentoring, and educational investment to normalise feedback as a shared responsibility.