North East Emergency Medical Responder scheme to expand trial

A new six-month trial scheme will see North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) and the four Fire and Rescue Services based in the region work together to tackle the 20% increase in demand on ambulance services seen since 2007.

The trial is part of a review of the terms and conditions of firefighters by the National Joint Council for Local Authority Fire and Rescue Services, looking at the current and future demands on the service and profession as they increasingly respond to medical emergencies - currently on a voluntary basis.

During the trial, Emergency Medical Response Units, in the form of fire appliances, will deliver emergency medical services when requested by NEAS. The emergency medical services included may involve attending calls where people are suffering from chest pain, difficulty in breathing, cardiac arrest and unconsciousness not due to trauma.

NEAS Director Caroline Thurlbeck said: "Our ambition for this trial is to improve the survival rate for those people who suffer from a life-threatening illness or injury in the community. The location of EMR’s within local communities could mean they are nearer to the scene and can deliver lifesaving care in those first critical minutes of the emergency until an ambulance clinician arrives, enhancing the usual emergency medical response from NEAS."

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The trial officially launches this month in Tyne and Wear (11 Jan), Northumberland (11 Jan), County Durham and Darlington (11 Jan). Cleveland Fire Brigade, which has been providing this service for a number of years is extending the service across the Teesside area throughout January.

Ian Hayton from Cleveland Fire Brigade said: "The scheme involves trained firefighters attending incidents in areas where we can reach a casualty and maintain life or reducing suffering and anxiety until a paramedic arrives.

"This really is a lifesaving partnership; Cleveland Fire Brigade staff can complement and work alongside the professional healthcare staff at North East Ambulance Service to improve patient care outcomes. Cleveland Fire Brigade’s ethos is to make a difference to the lives and safety of our local community. This critical partnership with NEAS allows our firefighters another opportunity to demonstrate how they can achieve that goal."

Latest figures show the return of spontaneous circulation to a quarter of all cardiac arrests attended by NEAS in the region, with just over three percent of patients surviving to be discharged from hospital.

Emergency Medical Responders have been trained to enhance their existing medical care knowledge, including basic life support by managing a patient’s airway, giving oxygen therapy, including assisted ventilation, delivering cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation using a semi-automatic AED and controlling blood loss.

The EMR’s are equipped with a kit which includes oxygen and an automated external defibrillator (AED) to help patients in a medical emergency such as a heart attack, collapse or breathing difficulties.

Chris Lowther, Assistant Chief Fire Officer at Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, added: “Saving lives has always been at the core of what we do and crews are used to providing life-saving first aid at incidents. Our trial is looking at how we can extend that work in partnership with NEAS as a part of our clear purpose to create the safest communities.

“Responding to fires and emergencies will always be the top priority for our crews but it makes sense to enable properly trained fire fighters to deliver appropriate medical assistance if they can get to the scene first while an ambulance is on its way.”

The trial will run until 30 June 2016 and will be monitored on a daily basis by all parties to ensure it remains an effective scheme offering a level of quality patient care in the local community. Throughout the trial data will be gathered to allow for a full evaluation following its completion.