Michael Fabricant has guardedly welcomed the announcement made today by
the Staffordshire Ambulance Service that some of the drugs and equipment
withdrawn from service from Community First Responders will be restored.
But Michael Fabricant says: "This is a helpful step in the right
direction, but life saving equipment like ResQPOD which increases blood
oxygen in a major heart attack and the drugs Midazolam and Diazepam
which are anti-convulsives and Pulmicorte which is an inhaled steroid
used in breathing disorders have not been restored. There is
considerable evidence that First Responders have used this equipment and
drugs effectively in the past to alleviate suffering and save lives and
I remain very concerned that they remain withdrawn from service.

"Nevertheless, I welcome the return of Salbutamol (‘Ventalin’ used by
asthma sufferers), GTN (used to alleviate heart conditions), and Entonox
(a sedative gas). They should never have been removed in the first
place. Indeed the whole issue has been handled in a cack handed manner
by Ambulance chiefs.

"I will now be consulting with Community First Responders to see where
we go from here. In the meantime, I have a meeting with Anthony Marsh,
Chief Executive of the West Midlands Ambulance Service, on Thursday
(25th January) to discuss this issue in further detail. I shall be
asking when ResQPOD and the drugs still withdrawn from service will be
restored."