STAFFORDSHIRE AMBULANCE FIRST RESPONDERS DOWNGRADED (UPDATE)
Further to the news release dated 17th October, Staffordshire Ambulance
Service has now just announced the withdrawal 7 drugs from First
Responders leaving 6 still in use. The drugs to be withdrawn are
Atrovent, Diazepam Stesolid, Entonox, GTN, Midazolam (Buccal),
Pulmicort, and Salbutamol. This is in contrast to the letter written to
Staffordshire MPs by Steve Coneys, Head of Special Projects, NHS West
Midlands which stated:-
"At a meeting of the newly established Partnership Board between
Staffordshire Ambulance Service and West Midlands Ambulance Service it
was established that Staffordshire Community First Responders are using
a range of 13 medicines in their role as First Responders. Only 3 of
these medicines are eligible for use by lay people (non-health
professionals) under the legal framework for medicines. I should stress
that the Community First Responders are trained lay people and not
paramedics or paramedic technicians. The 3 medicines sanctioned for use
in a "life saving emergency" and as such, can continue to be used by the
Community First Responders."
Michael Fabricant now says: "This is a confused and worrying
development. If it weren’t so serious, it would be a farce. While I am
pleased that in Staffordshire fewer drugs have been withdrawn than first
demanded by the NHS West Midlands, the 7 drugs withdrawn are life
savers. There is no evidence that they have been wrongly prescribed in
the past and this latest development will cost Staffordshire lives".