Defibrillator Guardian, Paul Oneill, receiving a defibrillator in Ormskirk. Defibrillator Guardian, Paul Oneill, receiving a defibrillator in Ormskirk.

NORTH West Ambulance Charity and Blues and Twos Credit Union have joined forces for the 2nd year running to fund and install Community Public Access Defibrillators (CPADs), in areas with limited access to life-saving equipment across the North West.

The partnership builds on a successful collaboration that has already helped strengthen community defibrillator coverage in identified hotspot locations.

7 CPADs will be installed over the coming months in carefully selected communities where access to a defibrillator is currently limited, helping ensure that more people can receive rapid treatment in the event of an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Research shows that early CPR and defibrillation can significantly improve the chances of survival following a cardiac arrest.

As part of the project, the 2 organisations are working together to deliver CPR awareness and education sessions within the communities receiving the new CPADs. These sessions will help local residents gain the confidence and skills needed to recognise a cardiac arrest, call:- 999, start CPR and access a nearby defibrillator when every second counts.

The initiative is being highlighted on Restart a Heart Day, the annual campaign dedicated to increasing awareness of CPR and empowering more people to act in a cardiac emergency. By improving access to defibrillators and providing vital education, the partnership will help save lives across the Region.

Vicky Harrison, Blues and Twos Credit Union CEO, said:- “We’re delighted to work with the NWAS Charity for the 2nd year running to improve defibrillator coverage and CPR awareness across the North West. Restart a Heart Day seems like the perfect time to highlight the difference that CPR awareness and publicly accessible defibrillators can make in saving lives.”

Jemma Kinch, Head of Charity at North West Ambulance Charity, said:- “Every minute matters when someone suffers a cardiac arrest. By working together with Blues and Twos Credit Union, we are not only increasing access to lifesaving defibrillators in communities that need them most, but also helping local people develop the confidence to step forward and act in an emergency.”

If you think your community would benefit from a defibrillator, get in touch with North West Ambulance Charity by emailing:- charity.office@nwas.nhs.uk.