Ambulance survey results

There was an excellent response rate to the Ambulance survey distributed to households in four local parishes – Audlem, Buerton, Dodcott cum Wilkesley and Hankelow.

Today, we give details of the survey results and will be commenting on these results over the next few days explaining how they will be taken forward in discussions with the North West Ambulance Service.

The figures are the number of actual responses – % have not been used. The Parish Councils would like to thank Margaret Roberts who has analysed the 337 questionnaires in detail.

The councils are also grateful to all those that completed and returned the forms. They say this will have a strong impact in discussions with NWAS. The next meeting with senior managers and directors of the ambulance service is scheduled for 27th November.

1. Do you support the Parish Councils' campaign to get ambulance response times to 8 minutes or less when attending life threatening calls in rural areas?
Yes 323
No 8 (Don't Know 6)

Comments mainly focused on arguments that rural areas deserve the same level of support as urban areas. A number, however, doubted if that's possible. Others asked about cross-boundary support from Market Drayton.

2. Do you support the campaign to to get ambulance response times to 19 minutes or less when attending calls which are serious but not immediately life threatening?
Yes 329
No 4 (Don't know 4)

There was near unanimous support for the 19 minute target being met. The chief executive of NWAS personally promised Audlem representatives a year ago that virtually all emergency calls (Red and Amber) in Audlem would be met in 19 minutes.

The current performance, based on NWAS' own figures, is under 40% of ambulances arriving within 19 minutes and just 4% (2 out of 52 calls) of ambulances arriving within 8 minutes for life threatening emergencies.

3. Do you think First Responders should attend a wide range of assistance and care until an ambulance arrives?
Yes 326
No 11

The main comment was they must be properly trained.

4. Should First responders be trained to deal with falls?
Yes 330
No 7

Again, the main comment was they must be properly trained.

5. Should First responders be trained and allowed to deal with children under 14 years?
Yes 318
No 17 (Don't know 2)

The main comments were that children should be treated like anybody else that's ill or injured. Others said that another adult should be present and CRB checks should be standard.

6. Should First Responders be trained and allowed to attend people with diabetes?
Yes 307
No 17 (Don't know 13)

Comments included the need for training and many said that time is of the essence.

7. Should First responders be trained and allowed to administer aspirin (heart cases) and pain killers such as entonox (pain relieving gas)?
Yes 310
No 22 (Don't know 5)

Again, the comments included the need for training and many said that time is of the essence.

8. Do you think Cheshire should have representation on the Board of the North West Ambulance Service?
Yes 333
No 2 (Don't know 2)

Comments were largely amazement that Cheshire was not already represented.

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