Firefighters in Staffordshire are teaming up with a health project to ensure vulnerable members of the community are protected.

Teams from Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service are undertaking additional training to help them signpost residents that may have underlying health conditions during visits and get them the help they need.

The initiative will see those aged between 55 and 74 who have smoked or currently do so given details of the Targeted Lung Health Check (TLHC) service in a bid to help the NHS identify issues people may have.

The scheme also aims to reduce the number of accidental house fires in Staffordshire caused by smoking with people given tailored support and guidance to help them quit.

Carmel Warren, partnership and intervention manager at Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service, said:

“We are continuing our work with colleagues in the NHS by introducing these additional training procedures to ensure the residents in our community are looked after as effectively as possible.

“Last July, we introduced additional training to help our emergency service colleagues spot risk factors around the homes of vulnerable people during visits – including nurses, councillors, police officers and more by moving our Olive Branch training to online delivery.

“This new partnership will allow us to work more effectively with local hospitals to ensure people are aware of the risks of smoking – both from a health and fire safety perspective.

“We will brief all the teams on this partnership by producing a video explaining the project, we will also provide a guide on how to raise the referral and all teams will be given information leaflets to hand out to residents when they perform a Safe and Well Visit.”

Carmel Warren, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service

Since the start of the lung health checks programme in 2019, 76% of lung cancers have been diagnosed at an early stage.

A spokesperson from the TLHC programme said:

“We are delighted to team up with our colleagues in the Fire Service to ensure our most vulnerable residents have access to our potentially lifesaving screening service which aims to diagnose lung cancer at an early stage when treatment can be simpler and more successful.”

THLC spokesperson

For more information about the programme visit www.uhnm.nhs.uk/TLC. People can also refer people for a fire service Safe and Well visit, email [email protected] or call 0800 0241999.