Issue - meetings

Report attached.

The Sub-Committee was advised that Community First Responders (CFR) programme was a partnership between St John Ambulance and the London Ambulance Service. Trained volunteers from the local community were dispatched at the same time as ambulances to cases of cardiac arrest chest pain, stroke, breathing difficulties etc. Volunteers were trained to London Ambulance Service (LAS) and responded to calls from their own homes and in their own cars. Volunteers were unable to disregard traffic lights etc when responding.

The CFR service also gave Covid-19 support to local hospitals and ambulances by donating personal protective equipment, scrubs etc. The service was also involved with supporting the LAS on the falls programme that had been set up for the local area. CFRs would assess patients who had fallen and note the time of the fall as well as check for potential injuries. Patients who had fallen more than 4 hours previously would be taken to hospital. Welfare and safeguarding issues were also considered with CFRs able to check patients’ ability to get food, hot drinks, medication etc for themselves.

It was noted that a representative of Healthwatch Havering who was present at the meeting was also a member of St John’s Ambulance. Healthwatch Havering was fundraising for CFRs via a sponsored walk, in cooperation with the St John’s Ambulance fundraising department. Further information could be provided on promotional work for the service.

The priority for responses to emergency calls was decided by the LAS control centre. CFRs used the same radios as LAS staff and recruitment was undertaken from the general public. It was suggested by a representative of NELFT that the new Integrated Care System and Local Borough Partnerships would allow the third sector to work productively local health and social care services.

The Sub-Committee noted the position.