Restart a Heart Day is a global initiative developed by the European Resuscitation Council. Launched in 2013, the annual event helps to raise awareness of cardiac arrest and the importance of teaching members of the public how to restart a heart.

In 2014 Yorkshire Ambulance Service developed a formula for mass training on the day in schools, which has now become a major national event. Last year, over 238,000 people were trained in CPR by regional Ambulance Services and private providers as part of the campaign. This year we want to help to increase that number.

Facts about cardiac arrest

  • 270 children die in the UK every year after suffering a Sudden Cardiac Arrest at school
  • There are approximately 60,000 Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrests occur every year in the UK
  • Without immediate treatment, 90-95% of Sudden Cardiac Arrest victims will die
  • If a defibrillator is used and effective CPR is performed within 3-5 minutes of cardiac arrest, their chance of survival increases from 6% to 74%
  • For every minute that goes by where a victim of Sudden Cardiac Arrest does not receive treatment, their chance of survival decreases by 10%
  • If a defibrillator is used within 1 minute of the victim collapsing, the victim’s survival rate increases to 90%
  • Only 22% of people in the UK would be confident in performing CPR on a stranger

Training Qualifications UK supports the importance of training and awareness of the chain of Survival – Early Recognition, Early CPR, Early Call for Help, Early Defibrillation. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Bystander intervention is vital to improve outcomes.

On Wednesday 16th October, TQUK staff will be invited to take part in a 30-minute resuscitation training session to learn how to perform CPR along with defibrillator training. TQUK always has a lifesaving defibrillator on site and all staff will be trained in how to apply a defibrillator and how it works as part of the lifesaving process.

TQUK also supports Salford based charity Hand on Heart which works day in day out to raise awareness of cardiac arrest in young people.

Who are Hand on Heart?

Hand on Heart’s mission is to keep children safe and prevent the deaths of the 12 young people who die of sudden cardiac arrest each week in the UK.

In March 2010, Hand on Heart was established as a national campaign to raise awareness of cardiac arrest in the young and the need for defibrillators in schools. In January 2012 Hand on Heart became a standalone registered charity (No: 1145316) and continued their campaign and mission to raise awareness of cardiac arrest.

It’s an important fact to realise that cardiac arrest can affect anyone, no matter of age, gender or ethnicity. Having as many people trained in CPR and the use of a defibrillator is vitally important, bystander support is one of the single most important aspects to surviving a cardiac arrest.

For more information on Restart a Heart Day and to see how you can get involved, please visit the Resuscitation Council website.

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