Rapid response

My Working Day: Bernard Flynnis a community first responder resuscitation trainer/organiser with the HSE South.

My role is the first of its kind in this country and is part of the implementation of the recommendations of the Sudden Cardiac Death Task Force Report 2004.

I am the person in the south of Ireland responsible for implementing the report's recommendation to reduce response time in the event of a cardiac emergency.

It is recommended that all healthcare facilities should be equipped with defibrillators and that all health personnel should be trained to manage a cardiac emergency.

My role involves training people in community hospitals and healthcare facilities to use defibrillators and in Basic Life Support (BLS) and training instructors to teach these skills.

There is no typical day in my job. Most mornings, I am in the office before 8am and sometimes I will not get home until 11pm if I have a late meeting. Usually when I am out teaching in the community, I am home by six or 7pm.

Some days, I can be found in the office responding to e-mails and talking to members of the public who are interested in setting up a First Responder scheme in their area. Most of the time, I am out with my instructors teaching and training in BLS skills and the use of defibrillators in communities throughout Cork and Kerry.

To date, 18 local hospitals have received training in BLS and defibrillator use. This means that every single member of the staff from the gardener to the matron has been trained to respond to an incident, which is very important.

Between 2004 and 2006, we trained nearly 5,500 people in Cork and Kerry in BLS which was a massive undertaking and required major HSE investment.

It is estimated that 18 to 20 people die of sudden cardiac death outside hospital every day, some 6,500 per annum. However, if a defibrillator is available within five minutes of the cardiac event, up to 60 per cent of patients survive to hospital and a large number will survive for discharge.

A defibrillator is a very effective piece of equipment once it is used properly and if a patient has being receiving Basic Life Support within five minutes of collapse.

I and my instructors also provide further defibrillator and pre-hospital training for groups. This includes training in manual handling, how to deal with the most common causes of medical emergency while waiting for an ambulance or doctor to arrive at a scene, and training in oxygen, suction and other equipment in their resuscitation kit.

The most satisfying part of my job is working with people in the community who are out knocking on doors to raise money and buy equipment on a voluntary basis. I have met so many brilliant and completely selfless people which is why I have such an affinity for my job.

The hardest part of the job is listening to the constant adverse publicity that the HSE gets, particularly management, when so many people are doing such a good job.

I personally don't know one manager who works from nine to five, they all work well and above that. I get great support from my own line manager, Frank McClintock, assistant director of the National Hospitals Office and head of the National Ambulance Service.

Although I am the first person in the country to do this job at this level, the task force recommended one national coordinator and four regional coordinators like myself. Tomorrow will not be soon enough for those appointments to be made.

I feel this will move the whole process forward and bring uniformity across the board for First Responders. I will be able to get national direction and to work as a team with the other regional coordinators going forward.

In conversation with Michelle McDonagh