Each year, more than 40,000 people in the UK have an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, with a survival rate of less than one in 10. Yet, currently, only four in ten people in the UK feel confident enough to perform CPR if they witness a cardiac arrest. Having someone who can administer CPR while waiting for help can dramatically increase the chances of survival.
At the University of Brighton, students and staff on the Paramedic Science course are aiming to change those odds. On Wednesday 15 October they will be offering quick, expert-led training sessions for staff and students across the university to learn CPR, and how to use a defibrillator to give those having a sudden cardiac arrest a better chance of surviving. Training will take just 15 minutes and anyone taking part will receive an official Restart a Heart training certificate.
Chris Matthews, Course Leader for Paramedic Science BSc(Hons) and the event organiser, said: “Prompt and competent bystander CPR can more than double someone’s chance of survival – learn CPR and you could save a life. Let’s make this a university-wide movement. The 15 minutes you spend learning CPR on Wednesday could mean a lifetime for someone else.”