DSAA Beeline, Issue 1 2017

WHAT WE DO: OUR PARTNERS
Celebrating the work of ambulance
service volunteers
very day, hundreds of volunteers from across
E
the South West attend incidents in their local
communities on behalf of South Western
Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT).
Sometimes they simply provide reassurance prior to the
ambulance arriving, but their presence can also mean
the difference between life and death.
SWASFT is supported by more than 5,200 people
who respond ahead of an ambulance or air ambulance
via different initiatives, including Community First
Responder schemes (volunteers trained by the ambulance
service to respond to certain incidents in their local
communities, usually rural and isolated in nature)
and British Association for Immediate Care (BASICS)
doctors. These medical professionals support ambulance
clinicians by attending incidents, where their skills and
knowledge make a positive difference to patients.
Colleagues from other organisations including the
RNLI, St John Ambulance and fire service also act as
Responders and provide valuable assistance at the scene
of incidents. Many SWASFT staff also attend incidents
when they are off-duty by booking on with control.
There are now more than 3,400 defibrillators registered
with SWASFT. This number has increased significantly
in recent years and in many cases it is a volunteer who
coordinates the registration process.
Many communities have worked tirelessly to raise
funds for defibrillators within their towns and villages
and it is important that their work is acknowledged too.
As a way of thanking all of our volunteers for their hard
work, dedication and commitment to helping others,
SWASFT held an awards ceremony at Dillington House,
Ilminster. This is one of three events held across the Trust
Above: Chard
Community First
Responders won
the Group Award
for Somerset
Right:
Thorncombe
Community First
Responders won
the Group Award
for Dorset
Bottom right:
Swanage
Community Defib
Partnership won
the Defibrillator
Accreditation
Award
area to formally commend the thousands of community
champions who work so hard all year round.
Rob Horton, Responder Manager for SWASFT, said:
“We are extremely grateful to the many Responders who
volunteer to help members of their local community
in their time of need. These awards were a great way
to showcase some of the outstanding work that our
Responders do on behalf of the Trust – their dedication,
commitment and hard work deserves to be formally
acknowledged. Their assistance is invaluable and on
behalf of the Trust I would like to sincerely thank them
for their support.”
16 01823 669604 | www.dsairambulance.org.uk
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