More than half of UK "not confident enough" to use defibrillator, study shows
Findings "aren't surprising", says Devon Air Ambulance Trust
More than half of people in the UK wouldn't quite know how to help someone suffering a cardiac arrest, according to a new study.
Research by Resuscitation Council UK has found that 61% of people who responded to a survey say they aren't confident enough to use a defibrillator.
The survey was carried out online by Opinion Matters throughout this month, and included responses from 2,000 UK residents aged 16 and over.
Devon Air Ambulance Trust, which provide critical care and air ambulance service across the county, tell us they're not surprised by the findings.
The Trust ran a similar survey in January 2022, which revealed similar data:
"We found that 67% of the people we interviewed were not confident enough in delivering either CPR or using a defibrillator on a patient with cardiac arrest", a spokesperson said.
"(We found) lack of knowledge and awareness, lack of confidence in delivering CPR or using a defibrillator, were some of the common blockers."
Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest affect around 80,000 patients per year in the UK, and in cases where defibrillation is required, acting within 3-5 minutes significantly increases the chances of survival.
Director of Operations at Devon Air Ambulance Trust, Nigel Hare, says cardiac arrests accounted for almost a third of all emergencies they attended last year.
"Around 28% of emergencies we attended were because someone was suffering a cardiac arrest. That's 360 patients last year treated for a cardiac arrest.
"The chance of survival does require advanced clinical care but the first three steps, which is recognising that someone's in cardiac arrest, quickly calling 999 and then delivering early CPR and early defibrillation, need to take place within that first 3-5 minutes.
"It's very unlikely that an ambulance or even an air ambulance is going to be on scene within that time, so that means that the people who have the best chance to improve cardiac arrest outcomes for our patients in Devon are the public."
A new campaign that aims to give people the confidence to use a defibrillator has been launched today, by Resuscitation Council UK.
The importance of quick action during a cardiac emergency is highlighted in a new animation, which aims to empower everyone to be a potential lifesaver.
In the event of an emergency, you can find your nearest defibrillator via DefibFinder.uk.