Ambulance service boss to be quizzed over responder cut

THE boss of Devon's ambulance service has been asked to explain a decision to scrap an agreement for the fire service to provide lifesaving treatment at some incidents.

- by BRADLEY GERRARD

John Martin, chief executive of the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT), has been invited to an influential committee at Devon County Council to outline why his service has decided to terminate a collaboration with the fire service that has been in place for around three decades linked to providing first aid.

The 'co-responder agreement' means firefighters are first responders at some medical emergencies across Devon.

Twenty fire stations in the county are involved in the scheme and receive payments when they attend medical emergencies where they are the first responder.

The ambulance service wants to fill the gap that scrapping the scheme would cause with its community first responders and expects to save around £60 per call. These are volunteers who attend emergencies where it is essential for patients to receive immediate life-saving care, such as cardiac arrest, chest pain and breathing difficulties.