FOI 26-103 First Responder Information

Freedom of Information Request

Request Date

24 Feb 2026

Response Date

20 Mar 2026

Information Requested

Please provide the following information about any volunteer/community responder schemes your Trust dispatches and/or clinically governs (e.g., Community First Responders/CFRs/Community Responders/co-responders, including partner schemes where the Trust controls dispatch criteria and/or clinical governance).

Definitions / scope:
“Responder” means unpaid volunteers responding under a structured scheme associated with the Trust (not employees on duty).
Please answer for the current position (latest SOP/policy versions) as at the date you process this request.
I am not requesting any personal data about individual responders.
Where you hold the information in documents (SOPs, PGDs, equipment lists, training manuals), please provide the document(s) and (if possible) indicate the relevant section/page, along with the publication/most recent update date.
If any item is not held, please state “not held”.

1. Scheme overview

1) The name(s) of your volunteer/community responder scheme(s) and the role levels (e.g., CFR / enhanced CFR / co-responder / other).

2) Current headcount of active responders, by role level if applicable.

3) The general use of responders in your trust (Time Critical Calls only, or Non urgent calls too?)

2. Dispatch criteria and call types

4) The dispatch/mobilisation criteria (CAD rule set / SOP / policy) for responders, including:
a) any maximum distance/ETA thresholds used (if held), and
b) key exclusion/stand-down criteria (e.g., violence, hazardous scenes, RTC/entrapment, weapons, etc.).

5) Please provide the most granular call-type list you hold showing what responders may be dispatched to (e.g., AMPDS codes, disposition/problem code sets, pathway names).

If held as a table/list, please provide as CSV/Excel.
If you do not hold a single list, please provide the relevant dispatch SOP that defines eligible incident types.

6) Please indicate whether responders can be dispatched to: trauma, falls, mental health/behavioural, paediatrics, maternity, suspected stroke, suspected chest pain/ACS, respiratory distress, seizures, and welfare/lift-assist. If you could outline the broad groups your volunteer responders attend I would be grateful.

3. Scope of practice – observations and interventions

7) A list of observations/vitals responders are permitted/expected to record (tick-list acceptable), including whether they can take/record: BP, HR, RR, SpO₂, temperature, blood glucose, pain score, GCS/AVPU, and whether they can capture any ECG rhythm strip (if applicable).

8) A list of any clinical assessments/examinations responders are permitted to perform (if defined), e.g. primary survey, focused respiratory/chest assessment, neuro screening, wound assessment, etc. (SOP reference acceptable).

9) A list of interventions responders are authorised to perform, by role level if applicable (tick-list acceptable), including (where relevant): CPR/AED/defib; airway adjuncts (including type)/BVM ventilation/suction; oxygen therapy; haemorrhage control (dressings/tourniquet/haemostatic gauze if used); wound/burns care; assisting with patient’s own medicines; and any other enhanced skills relevant to your scheme.

4. Medicines

10) The list of medicines responders are issued to carry and/or authorised to administer or assist with, by role level if applicable. For each medicine, please include (if held in a simple form) the route and the governance mechanism: PGD / PSD / “assist with patient’s own” / clinician direction.

11) Please provide the current responder-relevant PGDs/PSDs (or equivalent medicines authorisation documents) and any responder-specific medicines management policy sections governing storage/carrying/administering.

5. Equipment / kit contents

12) The itemised equipment inventory issued/approved for responders (kitbag contents), by role level if applicable. Official kit checklist/stock list document preferred; CSV/Excel if held.

6. Vehicles and response exemptions

13) How responders typically travel to incidents (own vehicle / Trust vehicle / on foot / partner vehicle) and whether mileage/expenses are reimbursed (yes/no is sufficient).

14) Whether any responders are permitted to use vehicles fitted with blue lights and/or sirens, and/or claim any road traffic law exemptions while responding. If yes, please provide:
a) the relevant policy/SOP, and
b) which responder role levels are authorised and what training/authorisation is required (high-level summary acceptable).

7. GoodSAM (or alternatives)

16) Whether you use GoodSAM for volunteer/member of public response. If yes, please specify:
a) which GoodSAM function(s) you use (e.g., OHCA alerting, AED registry, video triage, etc.),
b) which responder groups are activated (CFRs only vs wider clinicians/public),
c) what incidents trigger activation (OHCA only vs other), and
d) the typical geographic/ETA parameters (radius/distance/ETA thresholds) if held.

If you do not use GoodSAM, please state what alerting platform you use instead (if any).

Format / cost limit

For lists/tables, CSV/Excel is preferred; policies/SOPs/PGDs can be PDF. If fulfilling any part risks exceeding the appropriate cost limit, please advise which question(s) create the issue and provide what you can within the limit, or suggest the smallest narrowing that preserves comparability across Trusts.

Response

Scheme Overview

1) The name(s) of your volunteer/community responder scheme(s) and the role levels (e.g., CFR / enhanced CFR / co-responder / other).

We have applied section 25 of the Freedom of Information Scotland Act 2002 as information that is readily available on the Scottish Ambulance Service website - SAS Community First Responder - Governance and Essential Information April 2025 v1.2 A (2) (3).pdf.

2) Current headcount of active responders, by role level if applicable.

1100 Community Responder Volunteers (c.800 CFRs/300 CCRs)

3) The general use of responders in your trust (Time Critical Calls only, or Non urgent calls too?)

CFRs: Deployed primarily to immediately life‑threatening calls (Purple/Red) and can also be sent to some Amber/Yellow calls.

CCRs (Wildcat): Dispatched via GoodSAM to cardiac arrest type calls only and may be sent to calls that have the potential to become cardiac arrest type calls.

Dispatch and Call types

4) The dispatch/mobilisation criteria (CAD rule set / SOP / policy) for responders, including: a) any maximum distance/ETA thresholds used (if held), and

CFRs operate within a pre-agreed response area (Polygon)

CCRs operate to a 10 km radius

b) key exclusion/stand-down criteria (e.g., violence, hazardous scenes, RTC/entrapment, weapons, etc.).

CFRs are required to proceed at normal road speed obeying speed limits and have no road traffic exemptions.

5) Please provide the most granular call-type list you hold showing what responders may be dispatched to (e.g., AMPDS codes, disposition/problem code sets, pathway names). The Scottish Ambulance Service has applied section 39(1) Health and Safety and section 33 Commercial Interests exemptions of the Freedom of Information Scotland Act 2002 to this question. Please see previously published FOI for the full explanation - FOI 25-220 Framework for Dispatch Codes

6) Please indicate whether responders can be dispatched to: trauma, falls, mental health/behavioural, paediatrics, maternity, suspected stroke, suspected chest pain/ACS, respiratory distress, seizures, and welfare/lift-assist. If you could outline the broad groups your volunteer responders attend I would be grateful.

Suspected stroke: Yes

Suspected chest pain / ACS: Yes

Respiratory distress: Yes

Seizures: Yes

Paediatrics: No

Maternity: No

Mental health / behavioural: No

Trauma: No

Falls welfare/lift‑assist: No

Scope of Practice – Observations and Interventions

7) A list of observations/vitals responders are permitted/expected to record (tick-list acceptable), including whether they can take/record: BP, HR, RR, SpO₂, temperature, blood glucose, pain score, GCS/AVPU, and whether they can capture any ECG rhythm strip (if applicable).

Blood pressure (BP)

SpO₂ (oxygen saturation)

Temperature

8) A list of any clinical assessments/examinations responders are permitted to perform (if defined), e.g. primary survey, focused respiratory/chest assessment, neuro screening, wound assessment, etc. (SOP reference acceptable).

Primary and Secondary Survey

9) A list of interventions responders are authorised to perform, by role level if applicable (tick-list acceptable), including (where relevant): CPR/AED/defib; airway adjuncts (including type)/BVM ventilation/suction; oxygen therapy; haemorrhage control (dressings/tourniquet/haemostatic gauze if used); wound/burns care; assisting with patient’s own medicines; and any other enhanced skills relevant to your scheme.

CPR / AED defibrillation

Oxygen therapy

Basic wound / dressing / bandage care

Naloxone administration

Medicines

10) The list of medicines responders are issued to carry and/or authorised to administer or assist with, by role level if applicable. For each medicine, please include (if held in a simple form) the route and the governance mechanism: PGD / PSD / “assist with patient’s own” / clinician direction.

Oxygen

Naloxone

11) Please provide the current responder-relevant PGDs/PSDs (or equivalent medicines authorisation documents) and any responder-specific medicines management policy sections governing storage/carrying/administering.

N/a

Equipment / kit contents12) The itemised equipment inventory issued/approved for responders (kitbag contents), by role level if applicable. Official kit checklist/stock list document preferred; CSV/Excel if held.

Automated External Defibrillator (1) + electrode pads (2 sets)

CPR/QCPR meter (1) + adhesive stickers (1 pack)

O₂ cylinder with combined regulator (1); adult trauma O₂ masks (2); venturi masks (4); venturi adapters (specified); O₂ tubing (4)

SpO₂ meter (1);

BP monitor (1);

Thermometer (1) + covers (1 pack)

Naloxone Pebble (1)

Dressings / tape / gauze swabs / bandages (medium/large/XL), scissors, emergency blanket, pen torch, wipes, waste bags, razor, water sachets, nitrile gloves, fluid resistant masks, face shield and aprons.

Vehicles and response exemptions 13) How responders typically travel to incidents (own vehicle / Trust vehicle / on foot / partner vehicle) and whether mileage/expenses are reimbursed (yes/no is sufficient).

Volunteer responders use private cars or locally sponsored scheme vehicles for transport. The volunteer agreement states SAS will reimburse out‑of‑pocket expenses incurred whilst volunteering.

14) Whether any responders are permitted to use vehicles fitted with blue lights and/or sirens, and/or claim any road traffic law exemptions while responding. If yes, please provide: a) the relevant policy/SOP, and b) which responder role levels are authorised and what training/authorisation is required (high-level summary acceptable).

No exemptions are available and the use of flashing lights / beacons of any colour or audible warning devices (sirens/horns) is strictly prohibited. CFRs are not exempt from road traffic laws.

Further information on the First Responders schemes can be found in the published documents SAS Community First Responder - Governance and Essential Information April 2025 v1.2 A (2) (3).pdf and previously published FOI - FOI 26-005 Community First Responders

FOI 26-103 First Responder Information

Freedom of Information Request

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