Groundbreaking paramedic scheme extended
Wednesday, 28 May, 2008
A groundbreaking scheme to provide communities in South Huddersfield with their own paramedic has been extended to operate beyond its initial year.
The scheme, which was launched in September 2006, has helped to further improve patient care in the rural area
by having a paramedic based at Skelmanthorpe GP Surgery, for varying hours between 8am and midnight, seven days a week.
Equipped with a Rapid Response Vehicle, the paramedic primarily responds to category A emergency 999 calls in the
South Huddersfield area.
In addition, the communitybased role involves working to improve the health of the local people in partnership with other primary healthcare providers, such as GPs and district nurses.
Local residents are also educated about how the ambulance service works and the correct way to use it.
In conjunction with South Huddersfield Primary Care Trust, Robert Eastwood,
Locality Manager for Calderdale at Yorkshire Ambulance Service, helped to
secure the extra funding required for the scheme to continue.
He said, "This innovative project is the first in West Yorkshire and has gone down
very well with local residents.
Currently the scheme in isolation is achieving 79% on Category A performance and is standing down over 50% of ambulances which have been dispatched
to the same emergency.
In addition, over 50 per cent of patients attended by the Community Paramedics have not been conveyed to hospital which has resulted in there being more resources available for emergency calls.
"I believe that this bears testament to the success of the scheme and thank everyone for the part they have played."
Four YAS paramedics - Al Day, Steve Deighton, David Adam and Colin Stroud -
operate the Community Paramedic rota and have been instrumental in the scheme's success.
Al Day, who has been involved with the scheme since its launch, has enjoyed
working as part of the community
team. He said, "We have been able to get to know the residents better, be
proactive in our approach and address the real needs of communities by working
within them.
"I think people always feel that villages in rural areas are incredibly isolated, but the fact that the team is here
seven days a week to respond to 999 calls has provided residents with a huge
reassurance."
