Parish Council seeks straight answers

Mike Hill, the Parish Councillor who has been taking the lead on setting up a First Responder team in Audlem, is having great difficulty getting straight answers to straight-forward questions from the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS). Concerned about the reports in the Chronicle and elsewhere about the downgrading of the Cheshire First Responder level of service to that in the rest of the NWAS's region, he wrote as follows to the NWAS.

"We are asking you to confirm that our responders will receive training to the present FPoS Standard and receive the IHCD Certification: also that the equipment carried will be the same as at present?" The answers should be straightforward. Instead, Mike received a very lengthy response from the deputy chief executive of NWAS, Bob Williams, which failed totally to answer the very questions Mike had posed.

Undeterred, Mike has written again yesterday seeking straight answers to his straightforward questions. "Will Audlem's first responders receive training to the present FPoS Standard and receive the IHCD Certification. Also, will the equipment carried be the same as at present?" Mike has asked for 'Yes' or 'No' replies in time for Monday's Parish Council meeting so that he can report to the council.

Regular readers will recall that Audlem was represented at a recent 'ambulance summit meeting' called by Nantwich Town Council. When asked at the meeting by Audlem's representative about the plans to downgrade the Audlem First Responder scheme before it had even begun – volunteers were to have start training shortly – NWAS said they may have to rethink their plans. Unfortunately, Bob Williams' letter shows not the slightest hint that they will change their plans.

It was suggested at that meeting that the NWAS delay any change to the First Responder scheme until they are meeting their own '8 minute target in at least 95% of emergency cases'. If they don't change their mind, it was pointed out, they would be leaving patients at serious risk. Again, Bob Williams' response to Mike Hill gives no indication of a change of heart.

Mike has also seen a letter sent by the NWAS to the chief executive of Crewe & Nantwich Borough Council on the downgrading of the First responder scheme. By a remarkable coincidence, the response to Mike's straightforward questions is virtually the same as the response received by Brian Silvester of C&NBC.

In the meantime, NWAS has put back the Audlem First Responder training programme by a month. The delay is unfortunate but maybe it will give them time to sort out what level of training they plan to provide.

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