Ambulance service hails community response teams around Peterborough during Falls Prevention Week

Military co-responders operating out of at RAF Wyton

Invaluable contribution of local responders helps people who have fallen at home AND frees up ambulance crews to attend more urgent calls

The East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) has paid tribute to its network of community responders who stand ready to help people who have fallen at home across our region.

The EEAST – which relies on individuals from all walks of life to help attend to domestic falls – took the opportunity to express its gratitude during Falls Prevention Week (September 23-27).

Tom Barker, head of collaborative response for EEAST said: “In Falls Prevention Week, we’d like to thank all our community response teams for their help in dealing with falls, which make up a significant portion of our calls.”

The Trust says falls can account for up to 20 per cent of the calls they receive.

While some patients who have fallen may need to be taken to hospital quickly, many others will not sustain injuries requiring treatment.

Indeed, it is often the case that individuals will need to be helped up and then quickly checked over to ensure they’re safe to be left alone. 

“Where people have serious falls, we respond as quickly as we can, but less urgent cases often involve vulnerable people, who also need a timely response – but not necessarily from paramedics,” Mr Barker explained.

Across our region, it is frequently volunteers and co-responders from other services who are called upon to help ensure patients receive a level of care that is appropriate to their needs.

These vital contributors typically hail from three active backgrounds: Community First Responders, Fire & Rescue Community Wellbeing Officers (CWOs), and co-responders operating from regional RAF bases.

Mr Barker says all three play an integral role in helping the Trust provide the most effective and efficient care.

“Our teams can check on these patients, help them to a chair and make sure they are safe to be left alone and given appropriate advice without the need to wait for an ambulance crew to attend,” he said.

“This also means that more ambulance crews are free to attend our most urgent calls, so the contribution of our community response teams helps us respond to a wide range of patients.”