VOLUNTEER medics are fighting North West Ambulance Service proposals which they claim will “threaten lives” in the rural community.
A meeting was held last week between the Community First Responders and managers from the ambulance trust which confirmed plans to downgrade the service.
Based at Malpas and Tattenhall, first responders are on call to deal with life-threatening situations which cannot wait until the fully equipped ambulance arrives up to 30 minutes later.
But North West Ambulance Service is standardising its service across the region following a merger of the local trust with Manchester, Lancashire and Cumbria.
Volunteers understand this will mean a reduction in training which will prevent them from responding to certain calls.
Malpas Community First Responder coordinator Grahame Andrews said: “The calls cut will include, we understand, those to children, falls and traumatic injuries.
“We will also no longer be able to administer Entonox for pain relief, Aspirin for cardiac-related problems, and Hypostop for diabetic emergencies.
“In addition, the bag, valve and mask used in conjunction with 100% oxygen in the performance of cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is to be replaced with a face mask that has to be blown into by a responder.”
The issue is heightened in Cheshire because traditionally first responders have been trained to a higher level than elsewhere.
A North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) spokesperson said: “North West Ambulance Service met with the Community First Responders from Cheshire and Merseyside to discuss first responder practice today.
“The trust confirmed its commitment to its Community First Responder schemes and shared its plans to expand the number of schemes it holds in Cheshire by 10 over the next two months.”
