BLACKPOOL ambulance staff have been kitted out with a hi-tech panic button to summon help in an emergency.

The move was called for by Blackpool Primary Care Trust, in April, when they approached the Lancashire ambulance service for help.

Now in its fourth week, the scheme has yet to be tested for real, as nobody has needed to 'push the button' on their phone.

Phil Woodford, general manager of the Lancashire ambulance service said: "We've got various groups of workers like health workers, district nurses and people who go out and see people with learning disabilities.

"They're all out on the road during the day and some during the night visiting people in their homes."

He added: "To the best of my knowledge it's one of the first schemes like this in Lancashire."

A recent survey published by the NHS revealed there were 84,273 reports of violent or abusive incidents towards staff between 2001/2002.

So health bosses hope the new scheme will help cut the number -- and meet NHS targets of reducing violence towards staff by 30 per cent by 2003.

In the 'lone worker' scheme medical staff carry a mobile phone with the Global Positioning System -- hi-tech satellite equipment capable of pinpointing a user's exact location from satellites -- whenever they go out on an appointment.

Before and after every meeting, they can send their location to the Lancashire Ambulance Service.

And if an emergency crops up, the user just pushes a panic button that lets the service listen in to the phone, and call the police if necessary.

A review of the pilot will take place after the scheme finishes, at the end of August, and it may be taken on permanently afterwards.

Richard Emmess, director of development at the Blackpool Primary Care Trust, said: "The trust takes the safety of staff very seriously and we look forward to receiving the outcome of this pilot study to help us make any future decisions on how to protect our staff."