Ambulance service partners with St John Ambulance to launch co-responding pilot

A new co-responding pilot which will see volunteers from St John Ambulance respond to 999 calls has been launched in Norfolk. The medical charity is working alongside the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) to respond to medical emergencies in the local community.

The six-month pilot will see St John Ambulance co responders dispatched by EEAST to emergency calls to provide early clinical assessment and life-saving care before ambulance crews arrive.

The volunteers are trained to respond to a wide range of emergency calls including cardiac arrests, strokes, breathing difficulties, serious bleeds and road traffic collisions. They will use blue light vehicles and carry advanced medical equipment, including defibrillators, oxygen, airway management equipment and emergency medicines, enabling them to provide high quality care on scene.

The pilot will run for six months, initially with one vehicle, and is designed to measure both patient outcomes and system impact, helping to build the evidence base for potential expansion of St John Ambulance co responding schemes across England.

“This pilot is about getting professional volunteers and lifesaving equipment to patients, when those first few minutes really matter. By working in partnership with the NHS, our co responders will use their skills and knowledge to provide early assessment and intervention, support patients in their own communities and help reduce pressure on ambulance services.”

Tom Willis, Head of Clinical Standards for St John Ambulance.

EEAST already has a number of co-responder partnerships in the region, including with fire and rescue services and military volunteers, which are already making a difference for patients.

Co responders arrive first on scene in almost 90% of incidents they are dispatched to, meaning they can begin life-saving care as quickly as possible. They have also been able to treat and safely discharge many patients at scene, helping to free up ambulances for the most urgent calls.

“We are really excited to be working alongside St John Ambulance with this pilot co-responder scheme, which will help us get urgent medical help to patients in Norfolk even faster. Co-responder schemes are already making a difference right across the region, so the benefits to patients are clear. The volunteer co-responders at St John Ambulance will be a fantastic addition to emergency care in the county.”

Tom Barker, Head of Co-Response at EEAST.

In Norfolk, the new St John Ambulance team completed its first operational shift on 1 May marking the start of the pilot locally. St John’s volunteers taking part in the pilot are clinically trained and operate under agreed governance arrangements with EEAST. The service is provided free of charge to the NHS and will rely on partnerships with local organisations, donations and philanthropy.

St John Ambulance is exhibiting at The Emergency Services Show 2026, taking place from 16-17 September at the NEC in Birmingham. Register your interest to attend here.

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