Healthcare on doorstep for country districts
By David Himelfield
Huddersfield Daily Examiner (Huddersfield, England)
Copyright 2006 Gale Group, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
A pioneering scheme to provide a paramedic on the doorstep has been launched.
This area has become the first in West Yorkshire to benefit from a scheme run by the Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust.
The scheme, which aims to further improve patient care in rural areas, will see a paramedic based at Skelmanthorpe GP Surgery.
The surgery’s mobile medic will be on standby 10 to 15 hours daily, seven days a week.
He or she will be equipped with a rapid response vehicle to go to life-threatening emergency calls.
The role will also involve working to improve community health through partnerships with GPs, district nurses and other healthcare providers.
The scheme will run for six months at first.
Robert Eastwood, the trust’s general manager for A&E, said: “This project is the first in West Yorkshire. It provides an alternative way for para- medics to use their professional skills for the benefit of the community.”
Al Day, previously based at Huddersfield ambulance station, will be one of three people who will operate the community paramedic rota.
The other two are Julie Wilson and Steve Dighton.
Mr Day said: “The scheme will enable us to engage with residents, be pro-active in our approach and address the real needs of communities by working within them.
“People always feel that villages in rural areas are incredibly isolated. But now the team are here seven days a week to respond to 999calls, so hopefully we can get rid of that feeling.”
Dr Mike Welch, of the Skelmanthorpe surgery, said: “The practice is delighted to be involved with any initiative that aims to improve patient care with the community.”
Dr Jackie Grunsell, a GP and a Save Huddersfield NHS councillor onKirklees said: “I think it’s a good idea, as long as it’s not at theexpense of the ambulance station and ambulances.
“One paramedic is not the same as an ambulance station. Equipment on an ambulance is different and a paramedic may not be able to deal with certain situations.
“Paramedics are the first point of call and they can get there within a certain number of minutes.
“But they can’t provide every single type of care.
“They can do the basics, but they can’t transport or stretcher people,” said Dr Grunsell.