Newark Community First Aid offering free first aid training in Newark, Balderton and Fernwood after data from the Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Outcomes (OHCAO) Registry, funded by Resuscitation Council UK and British Heart Foundation shows only 7.8% suffering out of hospital cardiac arrest survived longer than 30 days
Those looking to learn how to save a life are able to do so for free this weekend.
Newark Community First Aid are upping the ante in their campaign to provide free training in resuscitation in the event of a cardiac arrest (when a sudden and unexpected loss of heart function occurs) where the person loses consciousness and stops breathing.
The latest data from the Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Outcomes (OHCAO) Registry, funded by Resuscitation Council UK (RCUK) and British Heart Foundation (BHF) shows that fewer than one in 12 people (7.8%) suffering out of hospital cardiac arrest survived longer than 30 days. Previously figures showed survival at 8.4%.
Philip Jessop, NCFA training manager, said: “Since our charity was formed in 2013, providing free training in resuscitation and using a defibrillator has been one of our key objectives with the aim of saving lives. It is more than disappointing to see that nationally survival rates are falling.
“Last year for the first time since the COVID pandemic struck we saw the number of candidates attending our free training exceed 1,500 though prior to the pandemic figures were up to 4,000 per year.”
This latest data produced by the OHCAO, which is based on information from all English regional ambulance services, also shows two thirds of cardiac arrests occur in men, with 80% of arrests occurring in people’s homes and 13% in public places.
Though 70% of people receive CPR from bystanders, public access defibrillators are used in less than 10% of cases.
Philip said: “Survival rates can be improved — in Scandinavian countries much higher rates are achieved because far more people learn CPR and more defibrillators are available. Most local villages are well supplied with defibrillators and we are seeing increased demand for training in these areas – we have recently completed courses in Rolleston and Southwell with courses already full in Weston on Trent, Papplewick, Balderton and Sutton in Ashfield.”
Newark Community First Aid are now offering free courses in Newark, Balderton and Fernwood from the end of April to end of May.
To publicise the training and to give people the opportunity to ‘have a go’, the team will be in Newark Market Place on Friday 11 and Saturday 12 April.
To book a place on a course, call 07973 904808 or email newarkcommunityfirstaiders@hotmail.com
