Cambridgeshire Police team up with ambulance service for life saving scheme

Officers who are trained in basic life support and the use of defibrillators will now be notified via their work mobile phone if someone is in cardiac arrest in their vicinity as part of a three-month pilot.

More than 600 front line officers and PCSOs from across the county have been enrolled, alongside off duty healthcare professionals. Those who have signed up to the scheme may receive an alert via the GoodSAM app if they are within an 800-metre radius of someone in need of their help.

This early intervention whist awaiting paramedics could prove vital and will provide support to staff and volunteers at the East of England Ambulance Service (EEAST).

The announcement comes ahead of Restart a Heart day on Saturday (16 October) a campaign to raise awareness about the importance of learning cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for patients who have suffered a cardiac arrest.

The sooner effective CPR is started, the better the chances of survival for the patient. For each minute that passes where CPR is not being given to someone suffering cardiac arrest, chances of survival drop by 10 per cent.

Chief Constable Nick Dean said: “I’m delighted we can be involved in this fantastic scheme that undoubtably has the potential to save lives.

“Specially trained officers who have signed up the scheme will be able to provide essential first aid if they are close to someone in suspected cardiac arrest. This initial intervention while waiting for paramedics to arrive could make all the difference.

“The preservation of life is a core principle of policing. If officers are in the vicinity of someone having a medical episode it is only right that they do all they can to save that person.”

Nicholas Jones, EEAST IM&T Service Delivery Manager, said: ‘Having worked with the GoodSAM team for over two and a half years, we have proven that deploying our staff, volunteers and other healthcare professionals is giving our patients the best possible chance of survival.

“We have received feedback from our staff and from GoodSAM responders that these changes are positive.

“By trialling the deployment of Cambridgeshire Constabulary staff to appropriate calls, when they are available, it will allow us to get to more patients quicker and save more lives.

“If successful, this three-month trial will allow us to reach out to other partner agencies to see how we can do more to assist our patients for the better.”