Major award for LIFE team

A joint emergency services team set up to reduce demand on 999 responders has picked up a major health award.
Sheffield emergency services team picks up major NHS collaboration awardsubSheffield emergency services team picks up major NHS collaboration awardsub
Sheffield emergency services team picks up major NHS collaboration awardsub

The Local Intervention and Falls Episodes team, set up by South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue and South Yorkshire Police, won the award for best NHS collaboration at the recent Health Business Awards in London.

The team, which is also supported by Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, is four months into a six-month pilot which sees staff visit homes to reduce fire risk in properties, improve security and help people who have fallen. So far the project has carried out more than 150 crime prevention checks and 250 home safety visits, which include the fitting of free smoke alarms.

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The team also responds to help people at low priority incidents, including helping almost 40 people who have had a fall, are not injured, but are unable to get up on their own.

LIFE team staff have also helped find missing people and visited vulnerable people who have either been victims of crime or are at risk of anti-social behaviour. Some of this work traditionally takes police officers and paramedics off the road for many hours.

SYFR head of prevention and protection, Steve Helps, said: “This award is the best possible example of our commitment to collaborate with our emergency services partners. It’s also deserved recognition for a brand new team, which proves emergency services are working together locally to help make people safer and healthier.

“We know that there are huge links between the people who need the help of the police and health services, and those who are at risk of fire. So collaborative working such as this undoubtedly benefits our public safety work.”