Meeting of the Parliament

Meeting date: Thursday, October 30, 2014

Official Report 813KB pdf

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Neilston & Uplawmoor First Responders

The next item of business is a members’ business debate on motion S4M-10898, in the name of Jackson Carlaw, on Neilston & Uplawmoor First Responders reaching their 100th emergency call-out. The debate will be concluded without any question being put.

Motion debated,

That the Parliament congratulates Neilston and Uplawmoor First Responders on dealing with their 100th emergency call since becoming operational on 4 January 2014; notes that a Community First Responder is a member of the public who volunteers to help their community by responding to medical emergencies while an ambulance is on its way; pays tribute to the leadership of Stuart McLellan and Ross Nelson in growing Neilston and Uplawmoor First Responders from an idea to an active organisation providing frontline medical care; pays further tribute to the over 30 volunteers who ensure that this vital organisation remains fully staffed; considers that they have further benefited from, among others, the support of Arnold Clark Car and Van Rental, which has loaned them a 4x4 vehicle to respond to calls, and St John Scotland (Glasgow), which has provided financial support for training and set-up costs, and looks forward to seeing Neilston and Uplawmoor First Responders continuing to serve their community above and beyond this 100th call milestone.

12:34  

It is a genuine pleasure to propose and speak to the motion in my name. I am delighted to be able to do so, because the work to which it pays tribute is vital and the support of other organisations for that work has been generous, spontaneous and heartfelt, and especially because the volunteers who have made possible all that has been achieved represent the very best of Scotland.

I know that there will be members who will equally be familiar with community first responder groups in their areas—indeed, some 100 schemes operate throughout Scotland, with some 1,200 volunteer responders—but for those who are not, let me explain that community first responders are asked to attend serious and life-threatening emergencies, such as when a person has breathing difficulties or chest pains, experiences cardiac arrest or becomes unconscious. It should be noted that they are not sent to road traffic collisions, traumatic injuries or anything outwith their training. They are trained by the Scottish Ambulance Service in basic first aid and life-saving skills so that they can deliver a speedy, reassuring response to patients while an ambulance is on the way. They are deployed to appropriate calls by the Scottish Ambulance Service control centre. An emergency ambulance is always dispatched first, and the role of the responder is to support the patient while the ambulance is on its way, providing an important service that benefits the community and that the community recognises and appreciates is of benefit.

I am afraid that my motion is already somewhat out of date. It recognises the 100th call-out of Neilston & Uplawmoor First Responders, as was the case when I lodged the motion on 1 September. However, by Tuesday this week, that figure had increased dramatically to 147 call-outs. Perhaps, with the assistance of any willing member suitably overcome by excitement at remarks during the next few minutes, we might even push it over the 150 mark during the course of the debate.

That is all quite remarkable. However, the success of voluntary projects and initiatives is never guaranteed. It depends on leadership and the commitment and support of a great many people. In the case of Neilston and Uplawmoor, that leadership has been ably provided by Stuart McLellan and Ross Nelson, both of whom are in the Parliament again today. I say again, as I had the pleasure earlier this year of welcoming and thanking personally a more extended team from the group here at Holyrood.

Stuart McLellan gave the spark of life to the responder group in April last year when, like others across Scotland, he approached the Scottish Ambulance Service. The service then convened a meeting to test public interest and support, to which 15 people turned up, willing to participate. Stuart recruited constantly throughout the year and, by November, a team was being trained. In January, with the appropriate approval secured, the group went live.

I have mentioned the support of others in the community, which includes the local hotel in Uplawmoor, which cheerfully allowed meetings to take place free of charge on its premises; St John Scotland, which has supported the project in a number of ways, to which I will return; and Arnold Clark, which has given such a boost to the responders with the donation of a vehicle at the start, since renewed, and an even more appropriate vehicle last month. I am grateful to the managing director of Arnold Clark, Eddie Hawthorne, for his support and engagement.

I pay tribute to Sir Arnold Clark himself, and I am happy that that will find its place in the Official Report. I have known Sir Arnold for many years. Such is his reach, depth and length of service to the retail motor industry in Scotland and the UK over several generations that I can add that I know him, as my father and my grandfather did before. He has built one of Scotland’s most successful businesses and has been content not to posture on the wider stage. However, I know that many community groups throughout Scotland are indebted to him for the generous support that he has offered personally and for the assistance that has been offered by his organisation, a branch of which cannot now be far removed from any Scottish community.

I mentioned a moment ago the support of St John Scotland. Less well known generally in Scotland than it deserves, St John Scotland was formed in 1947 and has, as one of its main objects, the encouragement and promotion of all work of humanity and charity for the relief of people in sickness, distress, suffering or danger. It is a perfect fit with the first responders. What I have most enjoyed about St John Scotland’s involvement is the enthusiasm that the project has generated among its members—an infectious enthusiasm achieved by Stuart McLellan and Ross Nelson on the now several visits made to secure further funding, which has, to date, paid for a defibrillator, extensive training equipment and, most recently, the refurbishment of the former police station in Neilston as a permanent base after the group grew out of the generous provision of space offered by the Neilston Development Trust—yet another successful locally based project.

I should note that that facility will be lost as a consequence of a change of ownership but I am in no doubt that Stuart McLellan and his team will identify and set about securing and equipping an alternative base—that is, if the acquisition cost of £55,000 can be raised. Knowing Stuart, I will not rule it out.

It is easy to talk in abstract terms about the mechanics of a voluntary group. What can sometimes get lost is the character, dynamic and public worth. When I have met up with the responders, as I have done on several occasions, they have been full of buzz, fizz and enthusiasm, which is there for everyone to see—all the more so now, as the group has gone from being a theoretical organisation to attending call-outs throughout the community and helping to save lives. We can see the response of the community itself, as it begins to understand just what an advantage the group represents.

The initiative does not in any way seek to ameliorate ambulance arrival delays—far from it. It is a recognition that, for most people, basic life-saving skills are simply not understood or practised. None of the individuals and families who have experienced it will forget the support of someone who can act immediately and ensure that the attendance of the Scottish Ambulance Service is all the more effective, efficient and successful.

In Neilston and Uplawmoor, the appreciation of the public is palpable. Throughout Scotland, that will also be true. I also hope that, elsewhere, communities will be fortunate enough to identify and enlist committed individuals and leadership and establish a first responder group with similar success.

I am sure that the Government and members of all parties will join me in congratulating the Neilston & Uplawmoor First Responders, which is one of several first responder groups in the West Scotland region that I represent, and the groups that are established elsewhere in Scotland. All equally deserve our congratulations and support.

12:41  

I congratulate Jackson Carlaw on securing this important debate on an important subject.

I had a look at the website of the Neilston & Uplawmoor First Responders and was very impressed with the numbers involved. That was all the more the case after hearing from Jackson Carlaw that the group has been in place for a relatively short time and has clearly achieved a great deal in that period, as have the more than 100 schemes that have been established throughout Scotland. As Jackson Carlaw said, they involve 1,200 volunteers, which is extremely impressive.

I understand that Dr Richard Cummins from Seattle in the USA discovered in 1990 that, if a series of interventions took place in a set sequence, a patient suffering from a heart attack stood a greater chance of survival. Those events are now known as the chain of survival.

Community first responders are an integral and valued link in the chain of survival in areas where journey times are extended, as they can provide essential simple treatments in those crucial first few moments. The sequence of interventions is: early recognition and the call for help; early cardiopulmonary resuscitation; early defibrillation; and early advanced care.

That might sound daunting, but full training is given. All first responders undergo institute of health care development training for first persons on the scene. That course has been devised in association with the Royal College of Surgeons. The volunteers must also pass exams and get through a rigorous selection process as well as pass the protection of vulnerable groups checks.

First responders must also update their skills continually with monthly training. They are also advised to sign up for at least one on-call shift every week to ensure that the skills that they acquire are put to practical use and do not atrophy.

It is obvious that first responders require a great deal of commitment. The fact that they are volunteers makes that all more admirable.

First responders work as part of a team. They are not intended to replace ambulances or paramedics but they buy vital time. When a person has a sudden cardiac arrest, their heart’s regular rhythm becomes chaotic or arrhythmic. Every minute that the heart is not beating lowers the odds of survival by 7 to 10 per cent. After 10 minutes without defibrillation, few people survive.

I am pleased to note that mortality due to heart attacks has declined significantly throughout the world since the 1970s. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development attributes that in part to the introduction of treatments that are aimed at rapidly restoring coronary blood flow and points out that processes of care, such as timely medical interventions, play a big part in determining whether a person will live or die.

Comparative figures show that the countries with the highest heart attack survival rates include Denmark, New Zealand, Norway and Sweden. It is no coincidence that most of those countries have highly organised and long-standing networks of community first responders.

I am pleased that, for some time now, Scotland has been putting the experience of those other countries into effect with great success. First responders are in the front line of the community resilience plan that the Scottish Ambulance Service has put in place, which covers the period 2011 to 2015. Even if we achieve the best ambulance response times in the world, with conditions such as cardiac arrest and hyperacute stroke, every second counts.

The Scottish Ambulance Service website lists the places where more first responder volunteers are needed. The list is quite long, and certainly far too long for me to read out, so I will simply say that 49 communities in my South Scotland region require volunteer first responders. They range from smaller places such as Newcastleton and Port William to relatively large rural population centres such as Peebles, Moffat and Dalbeattie. Moffat has a big group that I believe has provided 24/7 cover, which is quite something, but even that group is still looking for additional volunteers. I represent a rural area, but the benefits of first responders can be seen everywhere. It is notable that Glasgow airport and the Braehead shopping centre are listed as looking for additional volunteers.

I again congratulate Jackson Carlaw on securing the debate and I congratulate the first responder group in his area and all such groups working across Scotland.

12:46  

I thank Jackson Carlaw for giving the Parliament the opportunity to put on record our recognition of and thanks for the work of the first responders scheme in Neilston and Uplawmoor, which is in my constituency of Renfrewshire South. All too often, we know that volunteers do tremendous work, but we sometimes do not take sufficient time to put that on record. The work of Ross Nelson and Stuart McLellan and the team of volunteers in Neilston and Uplawmoor is making a significant contribution to the lives of individuals in the community. I do not think that they or anyone else would suggest for a moment that the scheme is a substitute for an effective and efficient ambulance service, but it can complement the work of our excellent ambulance service and it can make a difference by saving lives.

I want to put the issue in the context of the communities of Neilston and Uplawmoor, which are two distinct but closely linked communities, with Neilston being the larger of the two. There is a long and proud tradition of community identification and a determination to work together for the benefit of all. Just last night, I attended an event in Neilston to celebrate the work of Pauline Gallacher of the Neilston Development Trust, who has made a fantastic contribution to the village, not just through the trust but through the community wind farm, which is an example to communities across Scotland.

Many people are working hard to have a war memorial established in Neilston. Last year, John McGuire of Phoenix Honda and an old classmate of mine, Jimmy Higgins, walked to France to raise money for a memorial. We are talking about two communities in which people are determined to do everything that they can to help each other.

Jackson Carlaw eloquently outlined the increasing role that first responder organisations play not just in Scotland but in Britain and internationally. I know that we can point to success from such schemes. I talked to the two Labour councillors who represent Neilston, who have told me about the fantastic work that is being done and the very human response. Councillor Elaine Green’s daughter Jennifer is a volunteer with the first responders. My other councillor colleague, Paul O’Kane, told me that, one Sunday at mass at St Thomas’s in Neilston, an elderly parishioner was taken unwell, but because of the rapid response from the team of volunteers, the person’s condition was stabilised in advance of the ambulance service arriving.

We have here a scheme, with a team of volunteers, that is making its mark on the local community. It evidently has the community’s support, given that 30 or more people are already prepared to give their time to a scheme that they view as being of immediate benefit to themselves, their families and their neighbours and friends.

Stuart McLellan and his team have had to work really hard to get the money; Jackson Carlaw indicated some of the support that they have received. They are now in temporary premises, and hoping that they might just be able to get the finance to make that arrangement permanent. It would be a real shame if the lack of a small amount of money was to prevent the skill base that has been developed from being able to continue contributing to Neilston and Uplawmoor.

I know from speaking to local people that they already value the service. They know that it has made a difference, and they can point to the individuals whose lives have been helped by the volunteers. I hope that, collectively, we are all able not just to offer our warm words of support, but identify ways in which we can help that fantastic service to continue.

Once again, I thank not only Jackson Carlaw for enabling us to debate the subject, but the team of terrific and tremendous volunteers who are making their mark in Neilston and Uplawmoor.

12:51  

I, like other members, congratulate Jackson Carlaw on bringing the debate to the chamber and offer my congratulations to the first responder team in Neilston and Uplawmoor for their tremendous work.

As Jackson Carlaw said, the team has significantly surpassed its 100th emergency call-out and is now at 147 call-outs, which is remarkable given that it has been operating in the area only for a relatively short time, since January this year.

As members have acknowledged, there is a range of medical conditions in which time is absolutely of the essence in responding to an individual in the community in order to provide them with the best possible care. With conditions such as cardiac arrest, as we heard from Joan McAlpine, every second counts, which is exactly why community first responder schemes are so important.

I am sure that members recognise that community first responder schemes send out a strong message about the level of community resilience in individual communities in their desire to do the right thing for their own community’s wellbeing. It is important that we support them in undertaking that work.

At present there are more than 127 first responder schemes throughout the country, and more than 1,000 volunteers participating in the programme. There is always an opportunity to introduce more of those teams, and I encourage any community that is considering participating in the programme to do so in the same way that the Neilston and Uplawmoor community has in the past year. If communities are interested in doing that, the Scottish Ambulance Service will be happy to assist them by providing the necessary support to set up a first responder scheme in their local area.

As members will know, the increasing number of community first responder programmes sit within a range of other work that we have undertaken in order to improve community resilience in meeting the healthcare needs of local communities.

Community resuscitation development officers recruit and train community members to provide care. There are public access defibrillators in a range of locations, the provision of which is supported by local training and awareness-raising programmes. We provide first-aid awareness and training through schools and in the community at large. Of course, there is also the community first responder programme itself. That all sits within the wider context of ensuring that we improve the health and wellbeing of the people of Scotland.

Members may have noticed that last week I announced that next year we will take forward a strategy to cut the number of deaths from out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, which Joan McAlpine referred to in her speech. We know that survival of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests depends on the chain of survival. We need to make sure that that is as complete as possible, to ensure that people receive resuscitation and defibrillation when a cardiac arrest occurs. Our community first responder teams are an important part of that chain in our local communities and are helping us continue to reduce the number of people who die as a result of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests.

That sits in the wider work that we have been doing to increase the number of publicly available defibrillators. Earlier this year the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing provided a further £100,000 to increase the number of publicly available defibrillators and in August I launched the roll-out of defibrillators to independent dental practices across Scotland. Defibrillators are a crucial piece of kit that quite literally save lives and they are being mapped on the Scottish Ambulance Service’s control system. That means that if an emergency occurs near a dental practice, a work place, a local shop or—as increasingly is the case—a supermarket, people can be tasked to deploy that piece of kit. That has involved some £600,000 of investment and 815 dental practices have signed up to the programme.

That funding sits alongside the work that we are doing with the British Heart Foundation’s heartstart programme in our schools. Almost 62 per cent of our secondary schools have now registered with the heartstart programme and 150 teachers are being trained as heartstart instructors. The heartstart programme is about building resilience in our communities and the community first responder scheme is an important element of that.

I do not underestimate the value of the community first responder schemes. As Hugh Henry rightly said, it is not a replacement for paramedics in our ambulance service; it is an additional support to ensure that individuals who require assistance and care can receive it as early as possible. As a Government we intend to build on that work in the coming years and again I offer my sincere thanks and on-going support to those in the community first responder scheme in Neilston and Uplawmoor.

12:57 Meeting suspended.  

14:30 On resuming—