National Ambulance UAE

Many of the guys in the national ambulance are looking to move over to Qatar or back to UK, partly because of the bullying by those individuals named here in national amb UAE - they should feel ashamed of the previously mentioned comments that we hear daily. Fxxx off if you don't like it being just one... So many people are leaving!

Many are also leaving due to the recent abhorrent changes to our terms and conditions... Most of the previous crap staff from London have ended up out in UAE as directors, and are still pushing way above their previous experience levels. Our kit and replenishment systems are a joke, vehicles ditto - and we see significant failures in clinical standards.

It's a scandal really that guys who couldn't run a single sector in London without issues - are now running half of an entire country. I only hope somebody sees just how bad the situation is and revokes their amb license. HAAD should take note, your population is at risk, and the service is in danger of failure. Talk to Robert the CEO, and Alan and the others and ask to interview all staff, and to review clinical cases. If the CQC were here there would be an instant removal of the top team.

We are all under scrutiny here for so many things, and those staff that tolerate staying are doing so mostly out of fear of leaving, not love of the current system or job.
£40k for a 70 hour a week- not as offered.

Think twice! The grass (not that we have much) is not always greener!

If you are a smart person then you will heed the advice from your fellow paramedics & you will heed the wisdom in their words. National Ambulance is career suicide. You will through no fault of your own, deskill in every aspect of your paramedic role & y ou will be judged by people within the company who think their word is gospel. Ask anyone about the "Marasy Mafia" and you will judge for yourself (Marasy is the apartments where many NA staff live - and there is a pecking order of who kisses more *** and what is said about people. One poor chap was here a week and he was as gay as could be apparently, because he was too nice... so says the Marasy mafia). Another had just started and Facebook updates of him coming home late in the mornings doing the "walk of shame" spread quicker than ebola! Don't misunderstand the warnings from people who know. They are not being vindictive, they are telling you the truth. DO NOT WORK FOR NATIONAL AMBULANCE. The complete and utter contempt that is displayed to their staff would land them in goal in civilised countries. Their actions are illegal and abhorrent. But here they act like dictators without mercy.

Your first introduction will be to Mary Cox. Never will you meet a more smooth tongued black widow in your life. She will tell you the truth on the aspects of this job not being like any other you have ever had. Think of Mary like the preying mantis that needs to mate. She will lure you in to get what she needs and then eat your head when she is done! Mary is a perpetual kiss ***. According to Mary, you need to be dressed in a three piece suit and polished to enter the office at all times. Just in case some Emirati is about and the con job needs to be maintained. Also according to Mary is that if you want a salary certificate (which you will need to provide to your bank for a credit card, liquor license etc) she must be provided with a reason why. Even though its not her business and against the law, Mary has to know what you are doing and what hand you wipe your bottom with to maintain the happy con job.

Robert Ball. Our illustrious leader. The epitome of 'small man syndrome' if ever the was a definition. I am pretty sure if you looked in the the Websters' dictionary under "TOSSER" you'd find a photo of him and a reference to his gene poole. The man is a fool. He has the temperament of a 2yr old child and is famous for his angry outbursts and vindictive nature. Do not think for one minute he will be professional. It's all about Robert! When he ruins the budget forecast for impressing the Emiratis what does he do? He makes staff work shifts for free! And yes, as you have read above.. if you dont like it then you can just f*ck off. Think of that episode of the Brady Bunch where Jan throws a tantrum and says "Marcia Marcia Marcia"... thats Robert Ball!

There are however some fantastic people who work for NA and they are trapped. The Director of EPS (Emergency Public Safety), a man by the name of Adam Crosby. He is a good man. He is no nonsense, straight forward and open to all staff to discuss matters with him. Even though he is management and there is no "off record" discussion with him, he is one of the few good people within NA and is the reason why many people remain loyal to NA. I dont envy his position but grateful he is around.

EPS is where many staff are deployed. EPS is run by Abu Dhabi police, which says everything you need to know really. They are all idiots. Non-medical, uneducated idiots who will decide what you need and don't need. You will not have high-viz vests, wet weather gear, cold weather gear, drugs, modern equipment or be safe at any time on road with Abu Dhabi Police. Every job is lights and sirens, including lunch runs and prayer sessions. You take your life into your own hands when you go to work and since there is no such thing as compensation if you are injured, and people are injured all the time here. People have had fractured necks, hurt backs, hernias and even death. Fortunately none from NA have been killed but that is only a matter of time. The police will say the police driver dies in the course of his work,, making him out to be a hero. The fact that he was driving like a maniac with no seatbelt never gets told! NA is powerless to stop it because they're absolutely scared of the Emirati and don't want to offend them by protecting NA staff. The police hierarchy have the idea that the faster you get to a job the better the outcome. It is not unusual to be clocking 160 + km/hr on each job regardless of the conditions. Nearly all of the vehicles are clapped out old Dodge Savanna's that have been thrashed within inches of its life. Adding to the fact your police driver who speaks little no to English & probably never been educated past primary school will write reports on you. These guys love writing reports. At one station the Captain awards points for the most amount of reports for the month.

I wont sit here and repeat everything the others have said... if you haven't got the hint by now then sure, come on over and enjoy being abused, mistreated, injured and made feel worthless. Although if you are from London and worked with the "golden few" you will have a great time. You will be promoted very quickly, get a position you have no qualifications to be in, sit in a air-conditioned office all day & rule like rest of the idiots. Paramedics & EMT's are leaving faster than rats on a sinking ship. But don't think that is the end of it. NA will block you from being employed anywhere else in the UAE or not be favourable in referencing you. The situation wont get better, it will only get worse. It wasn't this way when I started it was everything they said it would be and more. But when egomaniacs get power the result is NA as it currently is.

What is the pay? For reals.

I didn't think I'd be adding to this post… but … having seen a post above referring to 'perspective' here are some absolute facts:
- Police break their own laws - driving back to station after a call they will hit 160 k's plus, there has been a death, and another serious accident, and numerous minor accidents from their disgraceful double standard. Management say they can do nothing about it until they take over…rubbish.. they just wont act so as not to upset an Emirate… your safety is not important, the traffic law is being broken, your life is in danger. NA should INSIST in a minimum standard of Duty of Care.
- The average Emirate in the street is rude and a pig, they do not want westerners there.
- One guy while away working, his wife was followed home by an Emirate…. not with good intentions. The average male Emirate see western woman as nothing more than someone they can harass, bully and try and have their wicked way with. Another guy, while he was filling his car with petrol, had someone jump in the car and harass his wife
- Rob Ball is the CEO, is there ..because he can't get a management job any where else. I say this having been a senior manager in private and business enterprise. Rob Ball is less than professional, no manager at any 'professional' level, shouts and rants at staff or makes despairing comments to the staff like he does. Budgets are a mess, fleet servicing is a cluster fu@#, bullying is rife
- Graham Stewart is the Chief Operations Officer…. having absolutely zero experience or knowledge of Ambulance Management or operations
- Mary Cox, will flower it up, to get Paramedics there, once you are there….enough has been said on that.
- Management ARE doing things they would be in court for in the UK, Australia and the USA, bullying, threats, foul language to staff, withholding pay
- Phillipinos are treated like errand boys. And looked down upon by many in management. Comments such as 'Flips', "Have to explain things to them 100
times". etc

National Ambulance they think they are safe….. they can be sued, and National Ambulance is majority owned by Aspen Medical, an Australian Company. Sue Aspen Medical when you get injured, or any number of False & Misleading Information provided to you when enticed there. If money is held back, lodge a complaint with the Ministry of Labour and mention names as they can be thrown out of the country.

For Christ sake… do not go there, stay in your job where you are, don't be enticed by what they say is good money, experience, different culture, travel opportunities, it is just not accurate - National Ambulance is definitely career suicide

Hi SandpitMedic.

I didn't think I'd chip in either. I've read the previous posts on this thread about National Ambulance and the UAE. I won't agree or disagree with anything written as we are all entitled to our own opinions.

To answer your question, the starting pay for a paramedic at National Ambulance is roughly $80K USD/year, tax-free. Similar positions for western paramedics in the Middle East offer about the same - some more, some less.
I believe the contract for National Ambulance is for 2 years. Two years isn't a very long time and if you find the company and region are not for you, the time will eventually pass. Regardless, in two years you will likely make some good friends and have experiences that are very different from what you're used to. You will also have gained valuable expat medic time that should help secure future positions. During the 2 years you will have generated $160K USD income as you won't pay a local rent or mortgage. There are of course personal fees to living anywhere - utilities, food, entertainment, elective medical, travel, etc. You can stack or deplete your cash depending on the way you choose to live.

Your paramedic skills may erode from being underused and unappreciated. However, If you're a good paramedic, 2 years won't harm much. I jumped back on an ambulance while visiting my home country and I initially felt out of step - though after a couple shifts I was fine.

If you wish to experience a place completely different from the West, the UAE indeed is. It has its good and bad points, just like anywhere. It is what it is, but what matters most is what you make of it. You should take everything written here with a pinch of salt as only personal experience will truly allow you to develop your own perspective. No organization is flawless. Relative to the West, National Ambulance and the UAE are both new concepts. Ideas and ideals will change. Change takes time. Change takes understanding. If you give it your time and understanding you will be OK.

Sorry for all the cliches. I'm no Hemingway.

Well. I have been to the UAE several times, and I have also worked in the GCC. I am familiar with the way the locals do things, their attitude, their beliefs, and the way they do business.

As far as NA is concerned... If I get the offer I will go. It is the experience I seek and the pay is double that of my US base salary.

Everything is what you make of it.
I'm pretty young...so career suicide is not something I am weighing too heavily. I am adaptable.

While I hear and take note of the things you've all said, I am a newcomer. You've all been roused and things have changed from once they were, but for me being new it will just be the way it is.

I hear your words. Believe me, there are enough of you warning others to make a choir. My perspective hasn't changed. I know someone over there I worked with before who has told me the same thing. But I'm looking to move forward, and right now, that is with NA.

Everything has pros and cons. This is no different.

Sandpitmedic..do you have a degree in paramedicine and two years post qualification experience? These are the new health authority requirements for paramedics apparently.

http://www.nationalambulance.ae/careers2/job/23/1/list.html

Did my clinical interview (went well) and all of my papers are submitted. Scheduled for HR interview next week.

By the way... It doesn't appear, at this point, to be so terrible.

Mr SandpitMedic
You seem like the perfect NA candidate! You will love NA and they will love you. Go for this great opportunity and don't look back mate.
Be inspired when you first meet the CEO Mr Robert Ball. Look into his calm sensible eyes. Alan Payne will greet you with open arms and his merry band of LAS brothers will welcome you into there little purple circle with open arms. Mary Cox will be the fountain of knowledge and will guide you down the path of how to do things right in the UAE. I think your gunna love it!!!

Nice first post....

It would seem Sandpit Medic has made up his mind to ignore the warnings. In light of this I can say only; Bring your Pollyanna self on over here and find out for yourself.

What you will find is a bunch of folks who split into two groups. The young/single folks who are squandering their money to live the expat lifestyle, traveling whenever they can, buying fancy cars and will leave here with nothing in the bank, even their end of service gratuity having been taken to pay off their credit card so they could get clearance to leave the country. The second group will be those trapped here by their finances. They took the job to either pay off debts or to build up a nest egg. They will have plotted out to the month when they can leave. I would estimate that group 2 contains about 80%-90% of the staff including several supervisors.

I for one made the decision to resign when they changed my workload from what averages out to 60 hours a week to 72 hours a week all for 48 hours a week pay. Let me do the math for you. I live as frugally as possible. Even so, the outrageous expenses of living here cost me $1600 a month. That leaves me $5000 a month to send home to my family. If I was back at AMR working 72 hours a week I'd be making quite a bit MORE than $5000 a month. If you allow for the heinous theft of pay they call taxes in the US I'd have to make $6500/month to match what I make here.

Assuming my hourly rate back at AMR, I'd have to average about 50 hours a week to match what I'm sending home. That's one 12 shift per week of OT, not really doable unless your district is really shorthanded and you don't like your family very much. On the other hand, is it worthwhile to take about $1000 cut in pay a month to work your regular shifts, even doing the Raisin Roundup, but be living in the US instead of the Sandbox? You say you've worked in GCC countries before so you should be able to make the comparison. Yes, Abu Dhabi IS the best place in the Sandbox to live. That's somewhat akin to saying living in Compton is better than living in Watts.

Listen, we're all trying to do you a favor by warning you, and everyone who reads this blog, away from National Ambulance. I've worked for AMR, Rolling/Ghetto, a couple of county services, a hospital based service even a small private service who's owner may be out of prison by now. The worst of them is immensely better than working here.

Thank you for that financial assessment. I have been a contractor before. Also, I am familiar and have been to the UAE on several occasions.

They are offering me about $19,000 more per annum gross (approx $25-26k net) than I currenly make working about 48- 72 hours per week on 12 hour shifts.

I have said this before. Perception is the key to everything. Your mileage may very.

I heard a saying that could apply to EMS as it does to soldiers, "...it could be raining p**** and troops will complain and blame the leadership for not providing an equal ration of ***holes."

It won't let me edit..

First of all, that should say:
your mileage may *vary*

Secondly, I have nothing to lose guys... Only to gain. If I get over there and it sucks as much as you guys say... I can just not renew my contract, and if it's hell on Earth then I can just leave. My current job will be available for me to return.

Not that I have to defend myself or my own personal career choices to any of you, but there other lenses to look through.

For you guys, it sounds as though you had it one way, and then it all changed to some FUBAR stuff that you hate. For newcomers, it will be business as usual. I continue to stay positive. Mind you, it's not even a 100% green light yet.

If I don't go - no biggie.
If I do go - I will certainly update often.

I did not go...

SandpitMedic said:

I did not go...

Click to expand...

Why didn't you go?

kevoiddy said:

Why didn't you go?

Click to expand...

After my 2nd interview and offer they said it would be three weeks to process my paperwork through the Ministry of such and such, and then they requested my transcripts (3.66GPA). They confirmed receipt and never called back. When I emailed them about a month ago they stated I was still processing.

No dice since then...

Ministry??? Thats weird. Never knew they had to do that before. Immigration and HAAD maybe. Wonder if this is a brush off? Consider it a close call and a higher being is looking after you Mr SandpitMedic. Thank your blessings and go elsewhere.."there is no place like home" as Dorothy said.

Well….. heard from a guy who went there after reading all our advice…. he regrets going there….. found same thing and no change
1. Generally Emirates very rude, racist and behind you back don't want Westerners showing them how to do something.."Ambulance"
2. Police corrupt…always the westerners fault
3. Police EPS dangerous driving… still… and NA say they can do nothing about it….rubbish… the Police drivers are breaking the law…. refer above "corrupt"…NA should insist that there is no compromise on staff safety..period!!!…. there is no EXCUSE for staff being exposed to police drivers doing 160k just to go back to station.
4. Nepotism in NA….
Unqualified/inexperienced COO, One supervisor is only an EMT and can't pass HAAD exam…. it is a requirement that the other Supervisors have HAAD…. if she can't get it she should be out..like any body else.

Well….. this is what he told me, and no different to what we told him before he went… he is now trying to get back in his old service.

So, any others out there still thinking about going…..please don't, for your own sake. NA have no concern for your safety, it is only lip service.

I hesitated to post on this topic, since people should make up their own opinion and for many people, the best way to learn the value of a great employer is to work for a substandard employer. But, the reality is, that unless you are desperate for money or need to escape the USA, you should not have to experience this organization.


National Ambulance in the UAE is not a company that is on the forefront of EMS, in reality it is an organization run by personnel with little to no experience in healthcare, EMS operations, or air medical, who are operating well above their level of competence and openly ignoring their expert Medical Director who has vast experience in both emergency medicine and air medical as both a field and in hospital provider. The “HEMS” Director isn’t even an advanced medic and has little of no field experience!


Currently National Ambulance is on track to assume control of all EMS in the UAE, except Dubai Emirate. Sadly, the executive level management, with the exception of the Medical Director (who they generally ignore) have utterly no experience in healthcare or EMS, worse; they all seem to have a management philosophy that is better suited to the financial services industry than healthcare. The human resources department is simply incompetent, with a manager in charge who has no understanding of the industry and takes offense at the smallest remark.


There is definitely a London Ambulance Service focus to the organization, unfortunately LAS is quite possibly the worst EMS service in the developed world. While the organization pays lip service to wanting a “Seattle” system, they are absolutely 180 degrees from making that happen.


This organization has fundamental flaws that will eventually lead to its downfall, creating an opportunity for another “connected” group to take over the EMS system in the UAE.


While there was apparently a time where the management was pro employee that has ended! The organization decided to increase the workload of every employee a short time ago, resulting in dramatic increases in work hours. For many people that hour increase resulted in multiple “unpaid” shifts per month required for all personnel, even those who already worked a four on four off schedule.


The executive level managers seem to believe that they have done you a favor by giving you a job at National Ambulance, and tend to react poorly when an employee proposes that it is not really any better than a job in the USA with the same amount of overtime (reflected as unpaid required time here) and CME attendance requirements. The CEO seems particularly reactive to any negative comment and is operating far outside his capability as an “EMS Executive Officer”.


The middle management has developed a significant reactive personality and tends to be rather unpleasant to deal with in general; additionally, many are pushing an LAS mindset forward in all areas of the organization.


The pay is not high, if you live frugally; your monthly costs will be approximately $1500-1600 a month. That will leave you $4500-$5000 per month to put in savings or send home to your family. The organization provides housing (some single accommodations and many contracts where you will have roommates) and health insurance (which is substandard and changes providers frequently).


While the UAE is certainly among the best places to live in the Arabic world, it is still an Islamic country with extremely conservative values and a significant amount of classism, racism, and repression.


The Medical Director seems genuinely interested in creating a better EMS system and saving the lives of UAE citizens, unfortunately, he is frequently overruled on clinical decisions by the CEO and other executives, which is simply unbelievable that they have the arrogance to overrule the physician in charge, especially since they have no medical background at all beyond some supposed military training in their past.


The education department is primarily staffed by educators who are far beyond their level of competence to be teaching even ACLS. Both the operations management and many educators make frequent racist and depreciating comments about the Philippine Nurse/EMT staff and the Jordanian EMT’s; most of the time focused on their intelligence.


There have been some changes to the education department over the last year and a half; they brought in an Education Manager, who seems like a nice guy and interested in quality education, they brought in a couple of Irish educators who are very good and care about the quality of the courses they teach. In addition, the medical director brought over the AMR guy who invented the RAT Team and was one of the original advanced practice/remote ALS/rescue/aeromedical people in the USA; at AMR they supposedly called him the “hanging judge” when he was one of the executives in Clinical Services and Special Operations there because he was beyond reproach and quite the boy scout. He was responsible for raising standards and getting rid of bad medics throughout the organization – or so the story I heard goes. But shortly after he got here, they hobbled him to the point that it is embarrassing to even watch, he and the medical director flunked all the “HEMS medics” and advanced practice personnel when he did a pretty basic advanced practice course for them back in October. That made the British fly into a rage when they were uncovered as incompetent. But the executives kept every one of those people in their positions, they did not even do reassignment and get better people! Since that, they have moved him to a corner and just make him sit at a computer and do paperwork; it is pretty embarrassing for one of the founders of EMS rescue to be seen just being a clerk in a corner. What’s worse is he still thinks it is going to change! He is still dedicated to the Medical Director and the Medical Director’s vision, but really, how long can that last, the guy has to stop allowing them to step all over him eventually? No way is he here by the end of summer; they don’t even let him out in the field to show people how it is done, he goes back to the USA to work and run calls on his own dime! At AMR he supposedly made all the clinical educators run calls and he would just go jump on trucks or aircraft at incidents all the time – really sad to watch.


So right now…the Education Manager is having all employees prove competency through a scenario course they are putting on, it is actually a good idea, but in reality, it is hilarious because of the educators they have doing it. The three qualified educators aren’t the ones doing the testing (probably because of the British management?) instead the ones they have doing it can’t even give a hard scenario and half the time they don’t even know if the advanced medics are doing it right – they actually had to go ask if something one of the advanced medics did was right the other day! Pretty sad for a basically great idea, just another drive to the bottom, because they are afraid to get rid of anyone who is incompetent, or even take them off duty!


If you want to just do nothing and make some cash, take a job at National Ambulance. But if you have standards, you might want to pass…..

Well, surprise surprise. It seems NA is up to its old tricks once again. I've just heard from people at my station of a poor Aussie lad being well & truly dry ****ed by Adam Crosby. It appears he's lied to his face. Spoke untruths in saying he was about to be arrested and needs to get out as fast as he can. The poor chap was out of the country 3 hours later and lost absolutely everything. NA hasn't paid him his final month salary which was owed to him, cleaned out his apartment and kept everything, stole his car from a EMT whom was going to purchase it and now refusing all contact with him. To add insult to injury the police Lieutenant from his station has contacted him and confirmed everything that was told to him by Crosby was an out and out lie. So this poor chap is now jobless, broke and homeless all thanks to NA and the games they play. They have absolutely no regard for the people who work for them nor the consequences of the actions they impose. People have been warned, including hearing the rumours myself at my station, to not intervene or ask questions about what and why this happened. They even had the gumption to send a email saying he has urgent family matters to attend to rather than just not renew him when his contract was due in 8 weeks time. What makes it worse is they had some American move into his apartment just a few days later - one could almost assume it was preplanned. Ive personally tried to make contact with this poor victim of NA's nasty, evil ways to check if he is ok but he's completely off the radar. For anyone reading this blog, please please please, do not have anything to do with NA. The corruption and complete disregard they have for their workforce is criminal. One of my fellow country men has recently been told he wont be re-newed because his wife has just landed a job in Australia as a lecturer at a university. Once again Crosby delivered an attack on this poor chap that would get him before the HCPC and a civil court in London - but as usual with NA... they think they're untouchable & not accountable for what they say and do to people. KARMA will catch them eventually and one day Crosby has to go back to the UK. Given how chunky the man is he should have eyes in the back of his head given the enemies he is making because he certainly couldn't run more than a few feet without running short of breath. DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES JOIN THIS COMPANY UNLESS YOU WANT TO RUIN YOUR LIFE.
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