A LIFESAVING initiative by firefighters working with health professionals has won a global award.

Fire crews in Halton have been carrying out pulse checks during their Safe and Well visits to vulnerable residents.

Firefighters have been given handheld testing devices, MyDiagnosticks, funded by the Innovation Agency, which act as mobile electro cardiogram monitors and detect an irregular heart rate.

In just eight months they have saved 29 people from suffering a life threatening stroke.

The collaboration between Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, the Innovation Agency, Halton Clinical Commissioning Group and Halton Council’s public health department has won a Showcasing Best Practice Award at the international Heart Rhythm Conference.

A case study will appear in the AF (atrial fibrillation) Association Healthcare Pioneers 2018 report which features the very best work from around the world.

Innovation Agency chief executive Dr Liz Mear said: “Congratulations are due to everyone involved in this life saving work.

“It’s a great example of an innovation being used to keep people well – in a very innovative way through the firefighters’ fantastic home visit service.”

Nick Evans, head of prevention at Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “We are delighted that the fantastic work of our Halton firefighters has been recognised by this award.

“This early intervention means that the services can give advice to these people before the problem becomes much larger, and in the case of atrial fibrillation potentially life threatening and they present at A&E.”

Halton has a population of around 20,500 people aged over 65 years of whom 500 may have undiagnosed atrial fibrillation (AF) – an irregular heartbeat which can increase the risk of stroke fivefold.

Crews carried out 1,017 pulse checks and found an irregular pulse in 29 people.

These residents have since attended appointments with their GPs and are now receiving treatment – avoiding the risk of serious illness.

MyDiagnostic is a stick-shaped, hand-held electrocardiogram recorder with metallic handles (electrodes) at both ends which are held for one minute as indicators flash to the rhythm of the heartbeat.

The device can be used by clinicians and non-clinicians to diagnose the underlying cause of a stroke.