Ambulance service trains medical students to respond to 999 calls

North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) has been training medical students to respond to patients dialling 999 in and around Newcastle.

The region’s ambulance service has trained 12 students this year from Newcastle University as part of a first responder scheme between NEAS and Newcastle University Students’ Union (NUFU).

The scheme, which launched in 2020, sees medical students volunteer their time to provide lifesaving support to people in an emergency and help in the local community.

Following a recruitment process, the successful recruits have undergone a training programme to develop their skills and learn what to do in real life emergencies. All Community First Responders undergo a training course, as well as NEAS induction and statutory and mandatory training. They are also trained on life-saving equipment, such as defibrillators.

Paul Brolly, first responder coordinator at NEAS, said: “The community first responder role is crucial in providing early interventions in the first minutes of an emergency. Living within the communities they serve, they can often be on scene almost immediately, providing basic life support, observations and initial treatment. They also often remain on scene, offering a much-appreciated extra pair of hands to our crews.

“We are extremely grateful for the support from Newcastle University and its medical students, who really do help save lives.”

The students will join other community first responders volunteering their time across the North East who support patients within their own communities whilst ambulance crews are travelling. Each year, our first responders offer 29,000 hours of their own time, attending more than 1,400 incidents.

Earlier this year, NEAS received funding from NHS Charities Together to expand its army of first responders in a bid to save more lives and support more patients across the region.

Thanks to a grant of £181,080 NEAS has been able to recruit volunteers to create a further 24 new CFR schemes to support communities in most need.

Find out more about how to become a community first responder here.