'Lives could be put at risk' if response system is changed

A CORNISH MP has warned that "countless lives" could be lost if the South West Ambulance Trust goes ahead with plans to stop its long-standing emergency response agreement with Cornwall's firefighters.

- by LEE TREWHELA

South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) has decided to phase out the fire co-responder role that the trust has provided in collaboration with fire and rescue services in the region following a review into cost and other issues, including “timeliness of response to patients”.

St Ives Liberal Democrat MP Andrew George, who is a member of the House of Commons Health Select Committee, said: “At a time when Treliske’s emergency department is constantly overrun and when the NHS managers are openly planning the closure of minor injury units which could leave Lizard/Helston with just limited hours services at Penzance or Redruth removing the co-responder service as well will leave residents on the peninsula extremely vulnerable.