A four-wheeled drive vehicle could replace Alston’s dedicated ambulance service, parish councillors have been told.
Alston’s ambulance is under threat and the six emergency medical technicians (EMTs) who staff it are at risk of being made redundant as they no longer meet updated training requirements to operate it.
Ahead of last Monday’s meeting of Alston Moor Parish Council, attended by representatives from North West Ambulance Service, campaigners donned Hallowe’en costumes and lined the street to deliver a strong “hands off our ambulance” message.
They fear that lives will be put at risk if the area is left without its own ambulance. However, it appears that a compromise solution may have been found.
At the meeting, Gene Quinn, regional head of service for NWAS, said one proposal that had come out of the working groups which had been held was to move to a 4×4 vehicle model of cover which would mean EMTs and community first responders (CFRs) could work together.
The meeting was told that at present two emergency medical technicians (EMTs) were required to crew the ambulance, but only one would be needed to drive the 4×4 along with a community first responder (CFR) to back them up or travel with them.
Response times would also be improved as an EMT would be able to take the lease vehicle home rather than having to go and pick the ambulance up, the meeting heard.
“As for the concept of CFRs going on that ambulance, legally it can’t happen. The risk about having the (Alston) ambulance going forward is that it needs two people (EMTs) to respond on it, but having a blended approach means we can sustain it a bit longer,” said Mr Quinn.
Parish councillor Elaine Grew asked whether NWAS could confirm whether the vehicle being proposed would be an “all singing and all dancing” four-wheel drive vehicle.
Mr Quinn said North Cumbria Clinical Commissioning Group had confirmed at their last meeting that they would fund an all terrain vehicle and NWAS would support it, but further work needed to be carried out to see what livery and markings could be put on the vehicle from a national perspective.
Parish council chairman Norman English said: “So we have now got the situation where the ambulance is going and we are getting a 4×4?”
Mr Quinn said at the last working group the feeling was that a 4×4 vehicle would actually provide a better model of transport for the area, given the equipment it needed to carry, and it could also act in snow.
However, he said that no decision had yet been made and a leased 4×4 vehicle had not yet been procured.
“I just think it is a good step forward as it gives the CFRs a bit of clarification and a bit of assistance and support from somebody who has worked here a long time,” said Rhonda Stanger, of NWAS.
She added that it would also mean the area gets extra cover.
“For me it’s a good way forward and a good balance,” she said.
A concern, however, was raised about what would happen in winter if a patient was found lying on the floor outside.
At present, with the ambulance currently available to the EMTs, a patient can be put inside it to keep them warm while waiting for paramedics to arrive at the scene.
Mr Quinn said it was possible to get around things like that with the use of thermal blankets which would keep somebody warm and that could be an additional enhanced piece of kit which could be put on to the vehicle.
There was also a new tent which was available which not only keeps the casualty’s body warm, but also keeps the responders there with them protected, the meeting was told.
“One of the benefits of having that lease car, the 4×4, and having EMTs and CFRs working together, will mean that we won’t get to a position where there will be redundancies because there will be a vehicle for those people to operate on,” said Mr Quinn, who confirmed that at present an emergency medical technician would be required to drive that vehicle.
Steve Hattersley, who is both a parish councillor and an EMT, asked whether the proposed vehicle would be fitted with blue lights so it would be able to help protect the scene of a road traffic accident in a similar way that the Alston ambulance can.
Mr Quinn said it may be possible to get some “blue light spotters” fitted, and that was something which could be explored, should the go-ahead for the vehicle be granted.
