New CFR policy in development

The National Ambulance Service is currently working on a national Cardiac First Response Policy for first responders which will ensure that responders will be notified at the same time as an ambulance is despatched, writes Brian Byrne.

The Diary was was informed of that this afternoon in relation to our story earlier today on the disbandment of the Kilcullen First Responders.

According to similarly worded statements from the HSE and the Irish Heart Foundation, it is anticipated with the implementation of this plan and the development of the national AED register (which is a joint project between the National Ambulance Service and the Irish Heart Foundation), that the outcome from pre-hospital cardiac arrest will improve from the current 5.2 percent survival rate.

The statements say this new policy will ensure that when a 999/112 call reaches the call centre, an ambulance will be dispatched immediately and responders in the local area will also be dispatched at the same time. Early dispatch to a cardiac arrest is necessary for survival.

"There was never a CFR policy before," says Caroline Cullen, Communications Officer at the IHF, "so we welcome this and the development of a new register."

No comment was made in relation to the Kilcullen situation or how the current policy is working. Nor was any timeline given before this policy will be rolled out.


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