Community First Responders’ role in the current and future rural health and care workforce

PROJECT TITLE COMMUNITY FIRST RESPONDERS’ ROLE IN THE CURRENT AND FUTURE RURAL HEALTH AND CARE WORKFORCE
Funding body National Institute for Health Research Health Services and Delivery Research Programme
Total funding  £471,000
Team
  • Prof Niro Siriwardena, CaHRU, University of Lincoln
  • Dr Zahid Asghar, CaHRU, University of Lincoln
  • Dr Murray Smith, CaHRU, University of Lincoln
  • Viet-Hai Phung, CaHRU, University of Lincoln
  • Ian Trueman, CaHRU and School of Health and Soial Care, University of Lincoln
  • Amanda Brewster, Healthier Ageing Patient and Public Involvement (HAPPI) group, Lincoln
  • Pauline Mountain, HAPPI group, Lincoln
  • Prof Richard Parish, National Centre for Rural Health and Care
Team/consortium
  • University of Lincoln
  • National Centre for Rural Health and Care
  • East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) NHS Trust
  • West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) NHS Trust
  • Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS) NHS Trust
  • South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) NHS Trust
  • North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) NHS Trust
  • South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAMB) NHS Trust
  • South West Ambulance Service Foundation (SWAST) NHS Trust
Oversight committee
  • Prof Prof Jeremy Dale, Professor of Primary Care, University of Warwick, Chair
  • Prof Guiqing (Lily) Yao, Professor of Health Economics, University of Leicester
  • Dr Nicholas Taub, Research Fellow in Medical Statistics, University of Leicester
  • Lissie Wilkins, PPI representative, Lincolnshire
  • Dr Tomás Barry GP and Assistant Professor, University College Dublin
Overarching aim The overarching aim is to work with PPI and stakeholders throughout to develop recommendations for future innovations in rural CFR provision by investigating current activity, costs of provision, and views of patients, public, CFR schemes and rural care providers.
Objectives The objectives of this study are to:

i. Describe the contribution of CFRs to rural health provision in terms of numbers/timing of calls attended, types of conditions and people attended.

ii. Evaluate the costs, funding sources, and consequences of CFR schemes.

iiia. Explore ambulance/CFR protocols and guidelines.

iiib. Explore stakeholder (patients, relatives, ambulance staff, primary care, commissioners, CFRs and CFR scheme organisers) experiences and perceptions of CFRs’ current role and potential for future developments and innovations. We will also ask CFRs and CFR scheme organisers about challenges and solutions to recruiting, training, retaining CFRs in rural areas and how to ensure governance and accountability for safe, high quality care.

iv. Assimilate and integrate data from WP1-3 synthesising these using the ABC (actor, behavioural change, causal pathway) theory to develop a list of recommendations for future innovations.

v. Prioritise recommendations for future developments/innovations in rural CFR provision through consensus stakeholder workshop.
Methods We will use mixed methods, underpinned by a robust theory, the ABC framework, and five linked work packages
Outcomes We will provide feedback tailored to each participating ambulance service and CFR schemes in that region as well as a report of findings to the funder, peer reviewed research articles, conference presentations, together with blogs, infographics and social media to publicise the findings to lay and professional audiences including CFR scheme leads, ambulance leads, commissioners, academics, policy experts with an interest in this area and the public..
Outputs Peer reviewed publications:

Conference presentations:
Impact We aim to create impact by developing recommendations for future development of CFRs and CFR programmes.