Save a life through Heartstart

March 28, 2002

A project aimed at saving lives by training the public in basic life support skills has been launched in Bury St Edmunds.

As part of a national initiative by the British Heart Foundation, the training will target schools, businesses, voluntary organisations and patient/carer groups. Resuscitation trainers at the West Suffolk Hospital Barry Smith, Liz Whittaker and Julie Head are leading the project.

"In Britain we are behind the rest of Europe in training the public in basic life support techniques," said Barry Smith. "In countries such as Sweden and Germany, people are taught at school or as part of their driving exam how to deliver emergency care to someone who has just collapsed.

"Traditionally we tend to leave things to the professionals. However, if someone has, for example, collapsed, simply putting them into the recovery position and ensuring their airways are clear could mean the difference between life and death. In cases of cardiac arrest, performing basic life support doubles the chances of survival.

"The purpose of Heartstart is not to train the public to do the role of paramedics or doctors, but to teach people how to deliver basic emergency care while they await the arrival of the professionals."

A multiprofessional team of trainers, including paramedics, hospital consultants, nurses and members of the voluntary services, will teach people a range of skills. As well as learning about the recovery position and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, the public will be taught what to do when someone is choking or experiencing chest pain. The training will take place in village halls, GP surgeries, offices, factories and at the West Suffolk Hospital.

"This training will help to save lives," said Liz Whittaker. "If someone collapses in the street and a person who has been trained in basic life support skills attends to them, their chance of survival is doubled."

The first training session, which is free to interested members of the public, will take place at Westley Middle School in Bury St Edmunds on 22^nd April from 6-8pm. For more details, please contact Liz Whittaker on 01284 713508. Subsequent sessions include:

St Louis Middle School: 13/5/02 4-6pm
Committee Room, West Suffolk Hospital: 23/5/02 7-9pm
St James Middle School: 11/6/02 3.30-9pm

In a parallel initiative, the Government is acting to install defibrillators (the machines that administer electric shocks when someone's heart has stopped) in venues such as leisure centres and railway stations.