A cardiac arrest patient in Yorkshire is nearly twice as likely to survive if a bystander steps in to perform CPR, according to the latest figures from Yorkshire Ambulance Service.
Last year, bystanders intervened in 1,972 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests across the region. Their immediate actions successfully contributed to restarting 643 hearts on the scene, leading to 132 long-term survivors (6.7%). By contrast, out of 892 cardiac arrests where no bystander CPR was provided intervened, 33 people (3.7%) survived past 30 days post-hospital discharge.
To build on these life-saving figures, an army of 800 off-duty staff and volunteers from Yorkshire Ambulance Service, will visit 168 secondary schools across the region – including 25 in East Yorkshire – to train 35,000 students in CPR for Restart a Heart Day on Friday 16 October.
This year’s campaign theme, ‘Watch it. Learn it. Pass it On.’ highlights how one person learning CPR can help others to become better prepared in the ultimate medical emergency. As part of the Yorkshire Ambulance Service Charity-supported training event, students will be encouraged to pass their new skills on to family and friends, while members of the public can join in by watching this 10-minute video and inspiring others to do the same.
Jason Carlyon, Community Engagement Manager at Yorkshire Ambulance Service, said:
“The numbers speak for themselves; early CPR makes a monumental difference to whether someone survives a cardiac arrest. Having a bystander step up nearly doubles a patient’s chances of coming home from hospital.
“By visiting 168 schools to mark Restart a Heart Day, our 800 volunteers can equip a new generation with the skills and confidence to act in an emergency. We want these 35,000 students to go home, spark conversations with their families and neighbours, and help us turn every community into a place where everyone knows what to do in the event of a cardiac arrest.”
