North West Ambulance Service
Responding on behalf of NWAS
Community First Responders (CFRs) are volunteers who give their time to help people experiencing medical emergencies in their local communities. North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust (NWAS) recruits and trains these responders, alerts them to appropriate 999 calls and provides the clinical governance for their operational role.
Being based locally means a responder may reach a patient before an ambulance arrives and begin providing immediate assistance. Depending on the emergency and their training, this can include basic life support, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED). NWAS responders may be called to people with chest pain, breathing difficulties, diabetic emergencies, cardiac arrest, unconsciousness or seizures.
Their contribution also includes offering calm reassurance and support to patients and their families during what can be a frightening experience. Responders work within their training and authorised scope of practice, providing care and comfort while awaiting the ambulance team.
North West First Responder Group is an independent, volunteer-led charity supporting people who respond on behalf of NWAS. We help volunteers through equipment, uniforms and training support, alongside fundraising and community activities. We also deliver free CPR and AED awareness sessions and support community public access defibrillators. Our charitable work complements the responder role; operational tasking and clinical governance remain with NWAS.
About CFRs at NWASSafeguarding & accountability
Registered with Health Practice Associates Council
North West First Responder Group is registered for organisation access to the Health Practice Associates Council (HPAC) portal. HPAC maintains a non-statutory professional register for people working in pre-hospital urgent and emergency care, including a registration grade for NHS Community First Responders.
With a volunteer’s permission, we can associate our charity with their individual HPAC registration and view relevant information held in their profile. This can include evidence of qualifications, training and continuing professional development, together with relevant registration and DBS information. Linked organisations can also receive notifications about changes to registration status and verified safeguarding or fitness-to-practise concerns.
This access supports our safeguarding, record keeping and accountability when supporting volunteers. Organisation access is separate from individual registration: eligible volunteers apply to HPAC in their own right and can then agree to an association with the charity. The public can check an individual’s current registration through HPAC’s online register using their surname or registration number.
Our HPAC association sits alongside our own volunteer management arrangements. It does not itself authorise additional clinical skills or change a responder’s operational responsibilities. Volunteers responding on behalf of North West Ambulance Service continue to work within their training and authorised scope of practice, under NWAS operational direction and clinical governance.
About HPAC & its register
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