OVER half a million pounds is being given to the ambulance service which covers Dorset to take on more community first responders.

The £560,000 funding from NHS Charities Together will help to ease the pressure on the ambulance service during these unprecedented and challenging times.

The grant is part of £7m which has been allocated by population across all the ambulance charities in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Thanks to support from the public, this funding will provide: observation equipment for community first responder volunteers to provide enhanced assessment and patient care.

It will also see the introduction of improved services to meet the needs of those patients suffering mental health issues, including training packages for front line ambulance clinicians to better equip them for complex and challenging calls.

Dedicated community first responder group cars will also be targeted by the funding, amongst other things.

Head of Charity for South Western Ambulance Charity, Zoe Larter said: "Thanks to support from the public and NHS Charities Together, we are able to go the extra mile for our exceptional staff, volunteer heroes and communities, delivering tangible benefit across the South West.

"The projects funded allow us to focus on early intervention and prevention meaning we will save many more lives as a result."

Community First Responder for South Western Ambulance NHS Foundation Trust, Lyn Strahan said: "My husband and I have been Community First Responders for nearly four years. We are part of a great team of local CFRs and together, we are able to respond to a variety of incidents in the local area, with the help of essential equipment.

"The funding announced from NHS Charities Together will not only provide more CFRs with more lifesaving equipment but in turn it will help to reduce the strain on the ambulance service, it really is wonderful news."