COMMUNITY paramedics have started in Wooler as the North East Ambulance Service begins to roll out a new 24-hour service for rural areas.
The first call for Wooler Community Paramedic, Tim MacDonald came just 14 hours after starting the new service when he responded to an incident in the Chillingham area and was supported by an ambulance from Belford which arrived three minutes after h
e did.
Gary Molloy, Senior Divisional Officer (SDO) for the Northumberland Division said: "Not only are we providing a swifter response to emergency calls, but we are also putting the skills of our experienced paramedics to better use in the area.
"During the day our community paramedics are now working from the Primary Care Centre in Wooler alongside other health professionals."
Two days later, again when a standby crew would have been at home at night, a patient presented themselves to the ambulance station as they had been advised by a local member of the community that there was now 24-hour emergency cover in Wooler.
Following treatment at the station for a minor scalp cut, the patient was able to return home. Under the previous standby system, the patient may have opted to dial 999 and may have had to go to Berwick Infirmary, or in the worst case scenario Wansbeck District General, tying up a valuable ambulance resource for approximately three hours.
