Graham Stuart, MP for Beverley and Holderness, and the founder and driving force behind the CADEY campaign, convened a high-level cardiac arrest meeting for health professionals to consider the patient pathway following an Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest and highlight any weaknesses in the Chain of Survival.
Graham said: “It was really useful for the CADEY Committee to hear from experts who could explain what happens from the moment of sudden cardiac arrest through to rehabilitation. The main findings from the meeting are that much more needs to be done to train the public, from school children through to the elderly, in how to perform CPR, that the provision of public access defibrillators on every street corner is a vital link in the chain of survival, and that we need more focus on rehabilitation as only about 50% of patients take it up. The good news is that if a patient can be kept alive until the ambulance arrives then the paramedics and hospital doctors can do incredible things.
Graham went on “Never do nothing if you witness someone having a Sudden Cardiac Arrest. Shockingly, in only about 30% of cardiac arrests does a bystander or witness commence CPR. If someone collapses and doesn’t appear to be breathing, then their heart has stopped working and they are having a cardiac arrest. Call 999 to get the ambulance on the way and find out where your nearest public access defibrillator is. Then start CPR. Lock your fingers together, knuckles up, then push down about two inches. Push hard and fast about two times a second. Don’t worry about hurting someone – just concentrate on saving a life. And if you have someone with you send them for the defibrillator. Every second counts, which is why it’s so important that CADEY is working towards a defib in every community.
“The CADEY Committee are inspired by what they learned from the health experts at the meeting and are committed to working harder than ever to improve outcomes for people who suffer cardiac arrests in Beverley and Holderness and, ultimately, the whole country.”
Sara Askew, Head of Survival at British Heart Foundation said: “Survival rates from out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in the UK are shockingly low, with less than one in ten people surviving. A cardiac arrest is the ultimate medical emergency and with every minute that passes without CPR and defibrillation, a person’s chance of survival decreases by around 10 per cent. A person’s chances of surviving are greatly increased, however, if somebody performs CPR on them. That is why it is so crucial that everybody knows this lifesaving skill.
“Similarly, easily accessible defibrillators provide cardiac arrest patients with a vital lifeline until the ambulance service arrives, and that’s why it’s incredibly important to ensure that any existing or new defibrillators are registered with your local ambulance service to help improve survival.”
Nick Middleton, Head of Community Development at the SMILE Foundation, and a CADEY campaign committee member commented: “Improving survival rate of a cardiac arrest is literally in the hands of the community. The CADEY event highlighted many ways we can work in partnership and give individuals the resources and confidence to deliver immediate CPR. The SMILE Foundation is proud to be working with CADEY and Graham on this vital issue and it was really helpful to get together with so many experts and exchange ideas on how to improve survival rates.”
Alex Cale, Consultant Cardiac Surgeon at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said: “If we can get patients into hospital with a pulse following a Sudden Cardiac Arrest, then we can work wonders. But it’s getting them to the hospital alive using the Chain of Survival which are the vitally important first steps. I’m delighted that Graham convened this high-level meeting which highlighted the need for witnesses to Sudden Cardiac Arrests to start CPR immediately. You can’t use a defibrillator on a distended heart which is where CPR comes in. Immediate CPR, followed by defibrillation is what is required, and I want to get that message across. The bald fact is that Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest survival rates have not progressed for years because people are afraid of CPR. I fully support the CADEY Committee’s commitment to changing perceptions so that everyone, from primary school children to the elderly feel confident about doing CPR and saving lives.”
Notes:
CADEY – Community Access Defibrillators for East Yorkshire
- Main objective is to achieve full coverage and better awareness of publicly-accessible heart defibrillators in Beverley and Holderness
- Mission statement: “Saving lives by achieving full coverage, accessibility and awareness of defibrillators throughout the communities of Beverley and Holderness”
- Improved training in life-saving skills
- CADEY Committee set up early 2018 and comprises local health professionals and campaigners – Yorkshire Ambulance, SMILE Foundation, Help For Health, Jordan Moor, Cllr Jacob Birch
- Working with local parish councils throughout Beverley and Holderness to help them install a defibrillator for every village/community
- Jordan Moor of Beverley is on the Cttee and, inspiringly, he has raised £28k for defibrillators in memory of his late step-father, Dr Alan Sykes, who unexpectedly died of a heart attack. He had been a much-loved GP at Leven and Beeford GP Surgery. Jordan has supervised the installation of 12 defibs so far, with others coming along
- CADEY has a match funding programme through Help For Health where parish councils that meet the criteria can get half of the £1500 cost of a defib paid as long as they raise the other half
- March 2019 NHS Providers agreed to support the CADEY Campaign and roll it out to NHS Trusts
- Round-Table conference 31 May 2019 to find out how survival rates from cardiac arrest can be improved in East Yorkshire – Cardiac Doctors, British Heart Foundation, ERYC Health advisors/professionals attended
- Attendees at the CADEY Round-Table held at the Tickton Grange Hotel on Friday 31 May: Dr Tim Allison, Cllr Jacob Birch, Dave Jones (YAS), Trish Kilner (YAS), Steven Dawber (YAS), Cheryl Kennedy (YAS), Stephen Smyth (Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust), Alex Cale MD (HEY NHS Trust), John Adamson (patient), Dr Thanjavur Bragadeesh (Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust), Jen Lonsdale (ERYC), Nicola Parker (ERYC), Sara Askew (BHF), Heather Mclean (BHF), Jo Adams (BHF), Nick Middleton (CADEY), Jordan Moor (CADEY), and Paul Downey (CADEY).
