Background There is mounting global evidence that Emergency Medical Service (EMS) staff are at significant risk of poor health outcomes due to the complex interaction between occupational risk factors and unhealthy lifestyle behaviours. Shift workers are known to have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and are more likely to have a cardiovascular event. Specifically, EMS staff are prone to hypertension, dyslipidemia and being overweight or obese. UK ambulance trusts do not routinely monitor the physical health of their staff and there is no UK data to quantify the cardiovascular risk to staff. This study aims to measure cardiovascular risk in UK EMS staff and to explore any association between cardiovascular risk and occupational risk factors specific to this unique workforce.

Methods This will be a cross-sectional study using frontline staff from a UK ambulance trust. A sample of 400 participants will be recruited to have their 10yr cardiovascular disease risk calculated using a validated tool (QRISK2) using clinical history, BMI and biochemistry. In addition, participants’ occupational risk factors such as role, shift type and length of service, as well as their independent cardiovascular risk factors such as physical activity and dietary intake will be captured. Data from participants who have had a cardiovascular event(s) will also be measured.

Results QRISK2 score will be analysed as the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes include incidence of self-reported cardiovascular events, individual cardiovascular risk factors and the association between cardiovascular and occupational risk factors. Participants will receive feedback on their results should they opt for this.

Conclusions It is hoped that the results of this study could be used to enable the development of national health initiatives for EMS staff with future recommendations for effective targeted health interventions to promote a healthy workforce.