MEDICINES USED BY VOLUNTEER COMMUNITY

FIRST RESPONDERS SCHEMES TO BE RESTRICTED


A recent internal review of the Staffordshire Ambulance Community First
Responder Scheme has shown that, in a number of respects, the Scheme
represents best practise.  However, one outcome of the review is that the
list of medicines used by volunteer Community First Responders in
Staffordshire is to be reduced from 13 to 6 after it was established that
some are not eligible for use by lay people under the national legal
framework for medicines.



Community First Responders are a vital part of the emergency service
provided to the people of Staffordshire.  The prompt delivery of life
support and defibrillation by these volunteers undoubtedly saves lives in
the county on a regular basis.  Community First Responders are always
followed up by an Emergency Ambulance or Community Paramedic Officers who
carry a wider range of drugs to assist the patient still further.



The move to restrict the drugs that Community First Responders working for
the Trust are able to administer brings their practice in line with the
Medicines Act.  The Trust has launched an investigation into how the
situation arose.  Working closely with West Midlands Strategic Health
Authority, the investigation will look at the number of patients who have
been administered these drugs since they were introduced as part of the
Community First Responders scheme.



Robert Lake, Chairman of Staffordshire Ambulance Service, said: "There is no
doubt about the excellent work carried out by our Community First
Responders.   These changes will certainly not change the core purpose of
their work, which is to save lives.



He added: "After establishing that our medicines management policy falls
outside the Medicines Act we have instructed, with immediate effect, all
Community First Responders to cease using the 7 of the 13 drugs they
currently administer, which we now understand are outside the legal
framework for medicines.



"I have absolutely no doubt that the hundreds of Community First Responders
in the county will continue to play a vital role in saving the lives of
people in Staffordshire by providing immediate life support and treatment at
a time when people need it most."