POLICE officers could be sent out to deal with medical emergencies as part of a new deal with the ambulance service.

It has been revealed that some officers from Hampshire Constabulary are set to be given training and equipment to act as co-responders with South Central Ambulance Service.

If approved, the scheme would mean that volunteer special constabulary officers on routine shifts would be able to treat people suffering strokes, cardiac arrests, choking, trauma injuries and shock.

Firefighters are already acting as co-responders and in the last year Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service has been called out to nearly 10,000 incidents.

Special Constabulary chief officer Tom Haye said: “If agreed, this proposal would allow us to upskill our special constables to enable them to provide an even better service to our community.

"While their priority will always be policing, this scheme could enable them to better support people in the rural communities that we serve where it can sometimes be more difficult to get medical help in an emergency."

Co-responders are trained in basic first aid and the use of defibrillators and are used to get treatment to patients in life-threatening situations as quickly as possible, with ambulance crews called to the incident at the same time.

It is believed the training could start in about three months.

John Apter, Hampshire Police Federation chair, has criticised the idea, saying that police don’t have the capacity to offer this scheme.

He said: “For the police to be used as co-responders, which would mean officers being deployed to a medical emergency is simply papering over the cracks of a failing ambulance service. Policing has never been under so much pressure, our numbers are down but our demand is up.

"Police officers struggle to cope with the demand already placed on us. It seems we are the service who just can’t say no.

“Our colleagues from the Special Constabulary do a fantastic job in supporting their colleagues; they are an integral part of policing. Like their regular counterparts they should have first aid training so they can deal with what they come across in their day to day duties, but to act as a reserve ambulance service is risky for them and is ignoring the bigger issue, the ambulance service needs fixing.”

A spokesman for Hampshire Constabulary confirmed the start of negotiations with SCAS, saying: “The proposal is similar to a scheme that is already in place between SCAS and Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service.

“Subject to agreement, it will initially involve a trial in which Country Watch Special Constables are trained and equipped by SCAS to respond to medical emergencies whilst on patrol in rural areas.”

A spokesman for South Central Ambulance Service said nothing had been finalised but community responders can help to save lives.

She added the scheme was not a response to a shortage of paramedics.