Fife emergency first aid team ‘hangs by a thread’ as volunteers struggle to access training

The East Neuk First Responders attended 204 emergency calls last year, including 14 cardiac arrests.

By Claire Warrender

January 29 2024, 2:28pm

East Neuk First Responders are struggling to access ambulance service training. Image: Paul Reid.

A Fife voluntary first aid team says it is “hanging by a thread” due to a lack of ambulance service training.

The East Neuk First Responders work with the service to provide vital, and often life-saving care before crews arrive.

But they have warned they could fold at any time given the problem with accessing local first aid tuition.

A street of property in Fife in the town of Anstruther — East Neuk First Responders operate in several villages, including Anstruther.

Volunteers attended 204 emergency calls across the East Neuk last year while patients waited for an ambulance.

Incidents included 14 cardiac arrests.

However, the team only has five active first responders, with a further 19 waiting for training.

A spokesperson says the long-running situation, combined with pressures on the ambulance service, is of great concern.

They said: “We have no doubt the situation has had a direct effect on patient care and potentially has led to, or will lead to, unnecessary deaths.”

East Neuk is 40 minutes from nearest hospital

Community first responders are usually based in rural areas where ambulances have longer to travel.

The voluntary groups are part of the Scottish Ambulance Service, which provides training.

East Neuk First Responders provide care until ambulance crews arrive. Image: Kenny Smith/DC Thomson

However, the East Neuk spokesperson added: “They will not provide any local training for new community first responders, despite us having willing volunteers.

“We have done all we can to highlight the gravity of risk to them and have made our community aware of this very serious situation.

‘Life-saving resource could cease to exist’

“We will continue to strive to improve the community first response work.

“But it cannot be over-emphasised that this life-saving resource hangs by a thread and could at any time cease to exist.”

The East Neuk villages are 40 minutes from the nearest hospital and the first responders are seen as vital.

As well as emergency care, they work with Fife Council’s community alarm team to help with falls.

And they provide medical cover at events and first aid training in schools.

Ambulance service is ‘planning to deliver training’

A Scottish Ambulance Service spokesperson says a training programme is planned over the next six months.

“These courses will result in over 100 community first responder (CFR) volunteers being equipped with lifesaving skills, bolstering our fantastic network of over 900 CFRs across Scotland,” they said.

“Travel expenses incurred by volunteers are reimbursed and we would encourage applications from prospective volunteers seeking to join any CFR scheme.”