Intended for healthcare professionals

Letters Improving UK survival after cardiac arrest

Equipping all citizens with the skills and equipment to be lifesavers

BMJ 2013; 347 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.f5224 (Published 21 August 2013) Cite this as: BMJ 2013;347:f5224
  1. Andrew S Lockey, honorary secretary1,
  2. David Pitcher, chairman1
  1. 1Resuscitation Council (UK), London WC1H 9HR, UK
  1. andrew.lockey{at}cht.nhs.uk

We agree with Malhotra and Rakhit that improved levels of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and reduced times to defibrillation for all victims of cardiac arrest are vital.1

The Resuscitation Council (UK) and British Heart Foundation (BHF) are jointly funding a research database to identify best practice and improve patient outcomes for those who experience pre-hospital cardiac arrest.2 We are also promoting the availability of public access automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and calling for the mandatory inclusion of emergency life support education on the school curriculum. Because this is a public health problem, all directors of public health should include this in their priority list of local projects.

This year sees the first Europe-wide “restart a heart” awareness day on 16 October. The Resuscitation Council (UK) will be promoting this by sending a Lifesaver DVD (www.life-saver.org.uk) to all secondary schools. This not for profit product is free to download to smartphones and tablets. It aims to improve awareness of how to do cardiopulmonary resuscitation and also how to use an automated external defibrillator.

Alongside this, the Resuscitation Council (UK) and BHF are working with the Department of Health to achieve their stated aim in the cardiovascular disease outcomes strategy published in March 2013. This aim was: “to promote AED site mapping/registration and first-responder programmes by ambulance services and consider ways of increasing the numbers trained in CPR and using AEDs.”

We call on all clinicians to support “restart a heart” day and lobby for a national approach from the government to ensure that all citizens know about cardiopulmonary resuscitation and have access to a defibrillator nearby. Every citizen should be equipped with the skills and available equipment to be a lifesaver.

Notes

Cite this as: BMJ 2013;347:f5224

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