Saving lives in Wythenshawe with Heartsafe Communities defibrillator scheme
Groundbreaking initiative in south Manchester halves average distance to nearest defibrillator, as detailed in a new report encouraging other local communities to take part
If someone suffers a cardiac arrest, every second counts. Early CPR and defibrillation can more than double the chances of survival, while for every minute that someone goes without help, the survival rate drops by up to 10%.
Photo courtesy of British Heart Foundation
Last year, four leading charities came together to save more lives through improved access to defibrillators and to CPR training. The British Heart Foundation, the Oliver Cookson Foundation, Resuscitation Council UK and St John Ambulance between them set up the Heartsafe Communities scheme, which began its work in May 2023.
The project began by selecting a location with a number of factors known to contribute to health inequalities and an increased risk cardiac arrest – where intervention could, it was hoped, could make a significant impact. Wythenshawe in south Manchester was chosen because, as with many places in the UK, it’s an urban area with high-density housing, a relatively old population and high levels of deprivation.
Having selected the site, the team behind the new scheme calculated that the average return distance to the nearest defibrillator in Wythenshawe to be 1,850m – equivalent to a 14-minute round trip.
Then the charities worked to get the devices already in the community registered on the national defibrillator network known as ‘The Circuit’, a national ‘map’ that makes it easier for ambulances to find them in an emergency.
Owners of defibrillators were also encourage to move their devices to the outside of building and – where possible – house them in unlocked cabinets, to maximise access to this life-saving equipment and make them available 24/7.
The charities then installed additional, publicly accessible defibrillators in residential areas around Wythenshawe. (It’s estimated that eight out of 10 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen at home.)
The result is that the average distance to the nearest defibrillator in Wythenshawe has been more than halved. At 858m, a round trip would take six-and-a-half minutes.
In addition, the Oliver Cookson Foundation held CPR training sessions in the community, while the British Heart Foundation’s free online CPR training tool RevivR and the Resuscitation Council’s Lifesaver free online CPR training were also promoted.
A full report, How to build a heartsafe community, details the whole project and provides valuable tips on how others can follow its example. The charities involved hope that their initiative can provide a model for other communities across the UK.
Judy O’Sullivan, Director of Innovation in Health Programmes at the British Heart Foundation, says: ‘Every community in the UK deserves to be well prepared in the ultimate medical emergency by having easy access to defibrillators – this can be the difference between life and death. This pilot project in Wythenshawe has shown how clear and simple steps can make a real difference to accessing lifesaving defibrillators in a community. Our Heartsafe Communities report is a guide for how every community in the UK can give someone has the best chance of survival from an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.’
Emily Harrison, CEO of the Oliver Cookson Foundation, adds: ‘Providing access to free first aid training in communities is essential for people to know how to save a life. Cookson First Aid reached out to local schools, businesses and community organisations who all responded to the challenge to make Wythenshawe a Heartsafe Community, each of them helped to make this project a success. We are proud to have been a part of this research, and of everyone in Wythenshawe who has learned to be a life saver. Oliver Cookson Foundation is committed to funding free first aid training to support the roll out of the Heartsafe Community guidance across the UK.’
Dr Lynn Thomas, Medical Director at St John Ambulance, says: ‘It’s everyone’s responsibility to help increase cardiac arrest survival rates and one of the most effective ways to do this is through Heartsafe Communities. Once a defibrillator is installed, it’s important people have the confidence to use it. Every day our highly skilled volunteers give people the confidence to respond in an emergency through first aid awareness and training sessions. Through increasing people’s confidence, our aim is to create a nation of lifesavers – where everyone receives the first aid they need in an emergency from those around them.’
James Cant, CEO at Resuscitation Council UK, adds: ‘Defibs save lives but we know that they are scarce in poorer parts of the UK. Wythenshawe is a great example of targeting public-access defibs in areas where the data tells us they’re needed most. The Heartsafe Communities scheme will be a significant step in reducing inequality and ensuring everyone has an equal chance of survival.’
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