More emergency response volunteers for Dorset
More than half a million pounds is being given to the ambulance service which covers Dorset to take on more community first responders.
NHS Charities Together has allocated over £560,000 to South Western Ambulance Charity.
The funding will help to ease the pressure on the service at one of the most challenging times in its history.
The grant is part of £7m which has been allocated by population across all the ambulance charities in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
In the South West, this charity funding will be used to enhance the role of community first responders, who are trained volunteers dispatched to emergency incidents when every second counts - for example if someone isn’t breathing, has chest pains, is unconscious or fitting - to administer basic life support until an ambulance service arrives.
The funding comes as ambulance services across the country have been dealing with the additional challenges of the Covid crisis. Thanks to support from the public, NHS Charities Together funding in the South West will provide:
• Observation equipment for community first responder volunteers to provide enhanced assessment and patient care;
• Lifting chairs to community first responders so they can give early assistance to patients who have experienced a non-injury fall, reducing potential complications associated with being on the floor for an extended period of time;
• Dedicated community first responder group cars to enable wider geographical reach and a swifter response to emergencies;
• Awareness and training sessions to increase early intervention for ‘out of hospital’ cardiac arrests, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation training for schools and community groups in hard-to-reach areas;
• Funding for not-for-profit service GoodSAM, which automatically triggers alerts to any nearby cardiac arrests so volunteers can attend and provide immediate life support while the ambulance is en route, and also identifies the location of the nearest defibrillator;
• Improved services to meet the needs of those patients suffering mental health issues, including training packages for front line ambulance clinicians to better equip them for complex and challenging calls.
Ellie Orton, Chief Executive for NHS Charities Together, said:
“At this time of immense challenge for the NHS we are delighted that we can make a real difference and ultimately help save lives by funding amazing community first responder volunteers and additional support for South Western Ambulance Service.
“It’s thanks to the overwhelming support of the British public at this difficult time that we are able to fund these vital projects – the NHS has been doing an amazing job but as an independent charity we can provide additional support to help the NHS do more than it otherwise could. A heartfelt thank you to all of our supporters for helping us to care for the NHS.”
Zoe Larter, Head of Charity for South Western Ambulance Charity, said:
“Thanks to support from the public and NHS Charities Together, we are able to go the extra mile for our exceptional staff, volunteer heroes and communities, delivering tangible benefit across the South West of England. The projects funded allow us to focus on early intervention and prevention meaning we will save many more lives as a result.”
Funding has been made available to NHS charities based with 13 ambulance trusts covering the entire UK. Five projects are ready to begin, based with the London Ambulance Service, North West Ambulance Service, South Central Ambulance Service, South Western Ambulance Service, and Yorkshire Ambulance Service.
Robert Horton, Programme Responder Manager at South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, said:
“When the team is responding to an emergency every second counts and our Community First Responders can make the difference between life and death. Having dedicated cars for volunteers which carries additional lifesaving equipment, made possible by the funding from NHS Charities Together, will make all the difference in volunteer availability, the access to volunteering and promotion of the amazing work our volunteers do. Our Community First Responders respond quickly within their community to help people in their time of need ahead of an ambulance.”
Lyn Strahan, Community First Responder for South Western Ambulance NHS Foundation Trust, said:
“My husband and I have been Community First Responders for nearly four years. We are part of a great team of local CFRs and together, we are able to respond to a variety of incidents in the local area, with the help of essential equipment. The funding announced from NHS Charities Together will not only provide more CFRs with more lifesaving equipment but in turn it will help to reduce the strain on the ambulance service, it really is wonderful news!”
NHS Charities Together is an independent national charity caring for the NHS. It helps provide additional support to patients, NHS staff and volunteers, working through its 241 member charities based with hospitals, ambulance trusts, community health trusts, mental health trusts and health boards across the UK.
In total NHS Charities Together’s Covid-19 Appeal raised £150 million thanks to the support from Captain Sir Tom and others. Over £118 million has already been made available to our 241 member charities to help patients, staff and volunteers on the ground.