In the UK, the stark reality of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests paints a picture of the urgent need for widespread awareness and urgent action.
Last year, ambulance services in England were called to perform resuscitation in nearly 35,000 patients following sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) emergencies, revealing a challenging survival landscape where only about 8% of patients survived 30 days post-cardiac arrest. This data underscores the critical importance of immediate and effective response in the pivotal moments following a cardiac arrest, highlighting a significant area for improvement: the use of public access defibrillators (PADs).
A notable detail from these statistics is the disparity in the use of life-saving interventions. While over 70% of cardiac arrest cases saw bystanders performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), less than 10% involved of those cases used a public-access defibrillator. This is particularly concerning given that the chances of survival can double with the use of a defibrillator alongside CPR. The reasons behind this gap include the availability and accessibility of defibrillators at the time of emergency, plus the knowledge of how to access one in an emergency.
This brings us to the crucial role of The Circuit – the National Defibrillator Network in the UK. The Circuit serves as a bridge connecting these vital devices with the people who need them the most, ensuring that every public access defibrillator’s location is known and can be quickly accessed during an emergency. Unfortunately, a significant number of these life-saving devices are not registered on The Circuit, making it challenging for ambulance services to locate them when every second counts.
Recently, The Circuit announced that over 85,000 defibrillators had been registered on the Network. While that is an incredible achievement and that number is growing, it still leaves large swathes of the country without adequate coverage of life-saving devices.
The stark reality is that the defibrillator you manage, or know about, could be the difference between life and death. If it isn’t registered on The Circuit, its potential to save lives is dramatically reduced. This isn’t just about making a device available; it’s about integrating it into a system that helps to maintain its effectiveness. The Circuit aids in this integration by providing regular reminders for the upkeep of your defibrillator, ensuring you keep it rescue-ready at all times.
With defibrillators being used in fewer than 1 in 20 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, it’s clear that opportunities to save lives are being missed. Considering that around 80% occur in the patient’s usual place of residence, the importance of having accessible, registered defibrillators in public spaces cannot be overstated. The involvement of the public in performing CPR is a necessary step, yet the potential for saving lives is significantly increased when a registered defibrillator is used in conjunction.
Taking action by registering your defibrillator on The Circuit isn’t just a responsible move; it’s a potentially life-saving one. By doing so, you contribute to a network that doubles the chance of survival for individuals experiencing cardiac arrests outside of hospitals. It’s about making sure that when a crisis strikes, the response is swift, coordinated, and your device is ready exactly when it’s needed.
All defibrillators registered with The Circuit can be found using the www.defibfinder.uk website. Check out where your most local defibrillator is today!
If you’re responsible for a public access defibrillator, make sure it’s on The Circuit today. If you have an defibrillator and you want to make it public access, we can help get it installed outside in one of our cabinets. And if you don’t currently own a defibrillator check out our range HERE. It’s your opportunity to make it an active part of the UK’s life-saving infrastructure. Together, we can turn the tide on out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival rates and make our communities, businesses and streets safer for everyone.
For any advice contact our team…
Tel: 0114 2213344
Email: hello@hygiene-uk.com
