Gavin Williamson, MP for South Staffordshire, has called on the Chief Executive of West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust to reinstate the enhanced level training from the Community First Responders.
Gavin has been contacted by concerned constituents who fear that the training, which was suspended in 2011 and was supposed to be reinstated in 2012, will not be re-instated. Although the Trust continues to provide update training to existing enhanced responders in Staffordshire, it will only train new responders to intermediate level. The number of enhanced responders has therefore declined as existing First Responders either retire or move away from the South Staffordshire.
Some of the essential skills that are taught on the enhanced level training course include initial maternity care, the administration of adrenaline to treat anaphylactic shock, aspirin and GTN for patient suffering chest pains leading to a possible heart attack, Entonox, an analgesic gas to reduce the suffering of patients following trauma or during a heart attack, Glucagon and Dextrose Gel to treat patients experiencing hypoglycaemic shock and Salbutamol for patients with respiratory problems.
Gavin said: “Having seen first-hand the wonderful service and work that the Community Responders to, I think that this is an extremely negative step and I urge the West Midlands Ambulance Service to reinstate the training to all Community First Responders immediately.
“Without this course, an intermediate responder would not be able to test a patient’s blood to establish if they had low blood sugar. I think that it is impossible to underestimate the important impact that Community First Responders have in saving so many lives and also in ensuring that the service that residents in South Staffordshire receive is first class. I look forward to hearing from the Chief Executive and hope he will reintroduce this training at the earliest possible moment.”