Life-threatening emergencies have doubled
THE number of life-threatening emergencies attended by community first responders (CFR) in Essex has doubled in the past two months.
The East of England Ambulance Service
Since November, the number of call-outs where a CFR – a local volunteer dispatched quickly to provide medical assistance while an ambulance is on its way - is first on the scene has risen from about 100 to 110 a week to 200 to 210 a week on average. Across the border in Hertfordshire, the figures have increased from six to seven to seven to eight.
The trend is thanks to a raft of changes implemented by the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust, including new tracking technology and dedicated community first responder (CFR) desks in its control rooms.
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