Cheshire life-saver calls for more businesses to train staff in CPR
It's as The Resuscitation Council says businesses have a role to play in improving survival rates from cardiac arrests
Last updated 4th Dec 2024
A student paramedic who saved her best friends life on a night out in Nantwich says every employer should train up their staff in how to perform CPR.
Chloe Minter put her training to use and kept her friend alive after she collapsed in a pub. Others there were simply climbing over her and walking past.
"Businesses have a duty of care to provide this training." she said.
"I can't believe they don't, I think it should be industry standard by now. Especially because of ambulance service wait times, GP wait times and how much the NHS is under a lot of pressure."
The call out comes as there are more than 100,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests every year in the UK, and of those treated by ambulance personnel – more than 34,000 - fewer than 1 in 10 people survive. Early CPR and defibrillation can double the chance of survival.
Chloe added: "I've been to two separate cardiac arrests on the ambulance and bystander CPR does help with that survival rate. Keeping the heart pumping around the body does really help."
To help increase survival rates, particularly in deprived communities where bystander CPR is performed less, Resuscitation Council UK (RCUK) launched ResusReady, a free initiative that requires a few simple steps and takes just minutes to join.
Organisations must have offered staff access to basic CPR training within the last 12 months or made them aware of CPR training resources, such as first aid training or RCUK’s Lifesaver and e-Lifesaver.
The charity has revealed that since the initial launch of the campaign in October, over 1,000 individuals and organisations have registered, but more must be done.
By signing up, businesses and individuals will be given the opportunity to appear on an interactive heat map, allowing RCUK to identify where the gaps in CPR training and defibrillator awareness still exist.
Businesses and individuals can help improve cardiac arrest survival rates and give everyone an equal chance at survival. Before the end of the year, the charity is asking ResusReady organisations and individuals to join this lifesaving initiative.
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