Welsh Ambulance Service trains 12,000 school pupils in Wales on Restart a Heart Day 2017
Monday, 16 October, 2017
Llanishen High School & First Minister
Up to 12,000 school students have been taught lifesaving skills as part of a national campaign.
During Restart a Heart Day 2017 (Monday 16th October), approximately 60 secondary schools were shown how to carry out CPR by more than 200 Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust (WAST) staff and volunteers.
They used training DVDs and inflatable manikins provided by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) to give young people across Wales the skills to help someone who has suffered a cardiac arrest.
Across the UK as a whole it is hoped that 150,000 young people will learn the skill as part of the mass CPR training day.
Currently in the UK, less than one in ten (8.6%) people survive a cardiac arrest. The BHF predicts that if the UK achieved the same survival rates reported in countries like Norway (25%), where CPR is more widely taught in schools, an additional 100 lives could be saved each week - the equivalent of approximately 5,000 every year.
Dr Brendan Lloyd, Medical Director for WAST said: “Many people don’t realise that if someone suffers a cardiac arrest in front of a bystander, who immediately starts CPR before the arrival of the ambulance service, their chances of survival double.
“Currently in the UK, bystanders only get involved in doing CPR in 43% of cardiac arrests, compared to 73% in Norway where the survival rate is considerably higher. The evidence in favour of members of the public learning CPR is obvious. So by having as many secondary schools as possible taking part in Restart a Heart Day 2017, it has enabled our staff and volunteers to pass on their skills to pupils who will then have this valuable skill for life.”
The event was organised in conjunction with the Resuscitation Council (UK), the BHF, which provides the training equipment free of charge as part of its Nation of Lifesavers campaign, St John Ambulance and Welsh Ambulances Services NHS Trust. All of the UK’s 13 ambulance trusts have been working in partnership to hold simultaneous CPR training events to mark Restart a Heart Day 2017.
First Minister Carwyn Jones visited pupils at Llanishen High School, Cardiff to watch a CPR training session while the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport Vaughan Gething attended Sir Thomas Picton School, Haverfordwest.
First Minister Carwyn Jones said: “When someone collapses after a cardiac arrest, every second counts. Knowing simple CPR skills is vital to ensure you can give that person, loved-one or stranger, the best chance of survival.
“I’m very impressed by the numbers of school pupils taking part in Restart a Heart across Walesand I’m pleased to see how the Welsh Ambulance Service, BHF, St John Ambulance and schools are providing life-saving skills to young people.”
Adam Fletcher, Head of British Heart Foundation Cymru, said: “CPR may be the difference between life and death for hundreds of people who every year in Wales suffer a cardiac arrest. Every second counts, and it simply isn’t enough to hope that someone who knows CPR is present.
“Restart a Heart Day is an annual day to increase awareness of the importance of CPR. We need everyone in Wales to learn this life-saving skill to give them the confidence to step in and give CPR when someone collapses after a cardiac arrest.
“That’s why we are urging secondary schools across the UK to apply for our free training kits and help create a Nation of Lifesavers.”
Up to 12,000 school students have been taught lifesaving skills as part of a national campaign.
During Restart a Heart Day 2017 (Monday 16th October), approximately 60 secondary schools were shown how to carry out CPR by more than 200 Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust (WAST) staff and volunteers.
They used training DVDs and inflatable manikins provided by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) to give young people across Wales the skills to help someone who has suffered a cardiac arrest.
Across the UK as a whole it is hoped that 150,000 young people will learn the skill as part of the mass CPR training day.
Currently in the UK, less than one in ten (8.6%) people survive a cardiac arrest. The BHF predicts that if the UK achieved the same survival rates reported in countries like Norway (25%), where CPR is more widely taught in schools, an additional 100 lives could be saved each week- the equivalent of approximately 5,000 every year.
Dr Brendan Lloyd, Medical Director for WAST said: “Many people don’t realise that if someone suffers a cardiac arrest in front of a bystander, who immediately starts CPR before the arrival of the ambulance service, their chances of survival double.
“Currently in the UK, bystanders only get involved in doing CPR in 43% of cardiac arrests, compared to 73% in Norway where the survival rate is considerably higher. The evidence in favour of members of the public learning CPR is obvious. So by having as many secondary schools as possible taking part in Restart a Heart Day 2017, it has enabled our staff and volunteers to pass on their skills to pupils who will then have this valuable skill for life.”
The event was organised in conjunction with the Resuscitation Council (UK), the BHF, which provides the training equipment free of charge as part of its Nation of Lifesavers campaign, St John Ambulance and Welsh Ambulances Services NHS Trust. All of the UK’s 13 ambulance trusts have been working in partnership to hold simultaneous CPR training events to mark Restart a Heart Day 2017.
First Minister Carwyn Jones visited pupils at Llanishen High School, Cardiff to watch a CPR training session while the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport Vaughan Gething attended Sir Thomas Picton School, Haverfordwest.
First Minister Carwyn Jones said: “When someone collapses after a cardiac arrest, every second counts. Knowing simple CPR skills is vital to ensure you can give that person, loved-one or stranger, the best chance of survival.
“I’m very impressed by the numbers of school pupils taking part in Restart a Heart across Walesand I’m pleased to see how the Welsh Ambulance Service, BHF, St John Ambulance and schools are providing life-saving skills to young people.”
Adam Fletcher, Head of British Heart Foundation Cymru, said: “CPR may be the difference between life and death for hundreds of people who every year in Wales suffer a cardiac arrest. Every second counts, and it simply isn’t enough to hope that someone who knows CPR is present.
“Restart a Heart Day is an annual day to increase awareness of the importance of CPR. We need everyone in Wales to learn this life-saving skill to give them the confidence to step in and give CPR when someone collapses after a cardiac arrest.
“That’s why we are urging secondary schools across the UK to apply for our free training kits and help create a Nation of Lifesavers.”
