COMMUNITY First Responders across Bradford have been given strict guidelines for coping with potential Ebola victims which demand complex health and travel questions of people in medical distress as part of Britain's response to the crisis, the Telegraph & Argus can reveal.

Some 40 volunteer medics, who attend emergencies such as heart attacks, have all received confidential information and a flow chart on how to tackle possible instances of the killer virus.

Seen by the T&A, the instructions, however, have prompted questions among medics as they depend on a victim's ability to speak English and also to converse while suffering a serious medical episode.

"We are often the first to arrive at an incident and to make a decision regarding an Ebola risk by asking questions would be extremely difficult and with a cardiac arrest there just wouldn't be time," said a Bradford health worker, who did not want to be named.

"If someone is having a heart-attack there are often issues with vomit and saliva which are two of the ways Ebola can be transferred.

"Or if there is a wound involved, obviously there might also be infected blood. It's an incredibly difficult situation."

The flow chart advice begins by stating: "CFRs will not be asked to attend a call where there is fever and history of travel in last 28 days from affected region."

But if possible Ebola is detected at the scene, CFRs and medical crews must don protective equipment including double gloves, a fluid repellent disposable gown and a disposable visor.

The guidelines then go on to ask a further five questions about the patient's recent medical history, travel patterns and contacts.

Positive answers to any of the five questions will mean the patient is "high possibility" for Ebola which means they must be taken to the nearest A&E department which must be alerted in advance.

Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, which organises and oversees Community First Responders, said: “The Trust has robust and established systems in place and a wide range of specialist protective equipment to manage patients with suspected infectious diseases based on agreed and tested national guidance.”

Bosses at Bradford Royal Infirmary and Airedale General Hospital said they were confident appropriate measures were in place.

Rob Dearden, director of nursing at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, said: “While the overall risk of Ebola remains low, we have well-developed infection prevention and disease control systems in place to manage unusual infectious diseases.

"Our established protocols are robust and based on national guidance and we will continue to review and refresh our procedures to respond to the latest developments.”

Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s chief operating officer, Helen Barker said: “We have robust and established systems in place to manage patients with suspected infectious diseases based on agreed and tested national guidance.

“Our staff are highly trained in dealing with such patients and our hospitals have a wide range of specialist protective equipment and facilities.”

More than 4,500 people have died from Ebola, mainly in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Britain's latest Ebola aid flight carrying vital medical supplies landed in Freetownon Saturday, International Development Secretary Justine Greening said.

It was the UK's sixth aid flight and carried almost £900,000 of medical equipment needed for the 92 bed treatment facility in Kerry Town, including blood banks, centrifuges and protective equipment such as goggles and gloves.