Demands for reform of the response time in the rescue service
The rescue service organizations in Baden-Württemberg are calling for a move away from rigid rules regarding response times. Representatives of the German Red Cross (DRK), the Workers' Samaritan Federation (ASB), Malteser and Johanniter emphasized on Friday in Stuttgart that rigid deadlines should no longer be a requirement in the new regulation of the rescue service law. "The aim is to concentrate the rescue service on medical emergencies so that we are quick and can become even quicker than before," said Klaus Weber, Regional Managing Director of Malteser.
For example, in the event of circulatory arrest, it is important that the rescue service arrives on the scene within four minutes, otherwise the patient's life is at risk. "However, we also have other categories where you can provide considerably more time because there is no acute danger to life," said Weber - for example, in the case of a broken arm. This categorization should be taken into account when redesigning the response time, the aid organizations demand. The current regulation in Baden-Württemberg is that in 95 percent of emergencies, rescuers should be with the patient within 10 minutes of the end of the emergency call if possible, but no more than 15 minutes.
Due to a ruling by the Administrative Court of Baden-Württemberg, the state must revise the rescue service law. Last May, the VGH complained that response times in the 2022 rescue plan had been changed without taking into account the previous regulation and without involving the state parliament. The new period between the end of an emergency call being answered and the arrival of the rescue service at the scene of the emergency was most recently set at twelve minutes. The VGH declared this requirement to be invalid.
Last week, the Stuttgart Administrative Court issued a ruling that increased the pressure on the state to implement the new regulation quickly. Interior Minister Thomas Strobl (CDU) emphasized that a new law had been worked on at full speed. "The law is ready and can be discussed in the cabinet this month so that it can then go into further consultation and parliamentary deliberation."
Aid organizations such as the German Red Cross, the Workers' Samaritan Federation, Malteser, and Johanniter are advocating for a flexible approach to response times in the rescue service, focusing more on medical emergencies and acknowledging different categories of urgency in health situations. In discussions about revising the rescue service law, these organizations emphasize the importance of considering response time categorization to save lives effectively.
Source: www.dpa.com
