Help save a fellow Londoner’s life

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705 Londoners have responded | 16/10/2023 - 17/03/2024

A female member of the London Ambulance Service is performing CPR on a doll as part of a training course on lifesaving skills.

Using defibrillators in London

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Did you know that 87% of cardiac arrests (when a person’s heart stops beating) happen outside of hospital?  

Maximising the number of defibrillators across London will help people increase their chances of surviving a cardiac arrest.  

A defibrillator is a device that gives an electric shock to the heart of someone who is in cardiac arrest. 

On 16 October 2023 - World Restart a Heart day - the Mayor announced that all London Underground and Overground stations now have public defibrillators.

City Hall’s Health policy team wants to know if Londoners will feel confident enough to use these new defibrillators if they see a person in cardiac arrest. Astrid, Anmol and Kay from the team will be reading your contributions and signposting to lifesaving training and resources.   

We want to hear from you: 

  • Would you feel confident using a defibrillator if you see someone having a cardiac arrest? Why or why not? 
  • What might hold you back from using a defibrillator? 
  • Where in your local area or community have you seen a defib? What kind of places would you like to see more defibs? 
  • What, if anything, would encourage you to sign-up to a free course on using defibrillators and lifesaving skills?  
  • What do you think might help raise awareness of these new defibrillators and empower people to use them?  

Tell us more in the discussion below.  

The discussion ran from 16 October 2023 - 17 March 2024

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Comments (226)

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It beggars belief that children aren't taught basic life saving skills at school, when it's  a known fact that the highest percentage of deaths from heart attacks/accidents outside the home happen because the first person on the scene did...

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It beggars belief that children aren't taught basic life saving skills at school, when it's  a known fact that the highest percentage of deaths from heart attacks/accidents outside the home happen because the first person on the scene did not know what to do, or did the wrong thing! Our local libraries /community centres could hold regular sessions for adults.  I feel certain many would attend.  It may also help some of the youth today to value life, rather than take it! We need more "togetherness " and defibrillator training could be another factor that might help.  Most people would feel too nervous to use 

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Avatar for - Tiger
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Having portable defibrillators is a great idea in principle. A big issue though, is where to locate them. In sports clubs  or GP /Pharmacies seems fine: however, I've seen vandalised cabinets at railway/tube stations and some tucked away in...

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Having portable defibrillators is a great idea in principle. A big issue though, is where to locate them. In sports clubs  or GP /Pharmacies seems fine: however, I've seen vandalised cabinets at railway/tube stations and some tucked away in sub a post-office/shop where the public don't know they exist.  Also what is the likelihood that one will be close enough to the incident and someone will know how to use it (and know wher eto find it).  In my view there needs to be proper strategic plan of how it will all work, and actually save someone, before spending another fortune with, well meant, resulting failure . You only need to see the millions spent on vastly under-used cycle lanes--  while impoverished children and families are going hungry

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Agreed

  They need to be in more obvious 

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Agreed

  They need to be in more obvious 

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Hi Bagsy25, 

 

Thanks for your response.   

 

When you call 999 in an emergency they can direct you to the nearest defib. Even if you can’t immediately spot one, it’sreally important to remember that you can still help by performing chest compressions (CPR), and the 999 call-handler will also guide you through this if you’re unsure. CPR is effective and will still give someone the best chance of survival.  

 

In addition to making defibrillators more widely accessible to the public, we have been working with the London Ambulance Service (LAS) to spread the word about the fact that anyone can step in to use them or perform CPR. We’ve made a short training demo available which goes through the steps of what to do in a cardiac arrest. It’s available here: www.london.gov.uk/londonlifesaver  

 

But you can also get hands-on training with CPR, how to use a defib or other basic life support skills through the British Heart Foundation (BHF) or LAS. All of the information on how to access it is available here, as part of the campaign: www.london.gov.uk/londonlifesaver 

 

We know there are still defibs in London that are not registered. Whether public or private, we would encourage people to register them with BHF, so they can be easily located by emergency services when needed. More details about this are also included in the page above. 

 

If you spot a vandalised defibrillator, we would encourage you to report it to the owner. 

 

To find your local defib is you can visit: GoodSam or BHF's DefibFinder. 

Avatar for - Amur leopard
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In view of the current number of stabbings being reported in London, perhaps it would be useful to include with the defibrillators, a number of wound dressings in the case especially those specifically designed to seal a knife wound. I'm...

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In view of the current number of stabbings being reported in London, perhaps it would be useful to include with the defibrillators, a number of wound dressings in the case especially those specifically designed to seal a knife wound. I'm told they take up little space and could save a life.

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I would not feel confident to use a defibrillator machine at the right moment  because I’m not sure if I could identfy that  someone’s heart had stopped. I know about checking the ANC in first aid but locating a pulse if it is feint can be...

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I would not feel confident to use a defibrillator machine at the right moment  because I’m not sure if I could identfy that  someone’s heart had stopped. I know about checking the ANC in first aid but locating a pulse if it is feint can be difficult- what if I get it wrong? Could I do harm? 

I have seen defibrillator  on my local station - Carshalton . I would like to see them in parks and recreational places. My cousin died on the golf course at 60 from a heart attack. He was a new grandad - first grandchild - so sad. 

I would be keen to learn to use a defibrillator machine- I was only thinking when I saw one that I might do the wrong thing if trying to use one. A radio and TV campaign to encourage use and highlight the positive difference using a defibrillator could raise awareness although this could be costly to make and air? Would they do for free to save lives? 

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Avatar for - Amur leopard
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Nobody should worry about their ability to use a defibrillator . . . not only is full instructions in the case but recorded instruction is voiced when the apparatus is about to be used. The providers of these life savers are fully aware...

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Nobody should worry about their ability to use a defibrillator . . . not only is full instructions in the case but recorded instruction is voiced when the apparatus is about to be used. The providers of these life savers are fully aware that operaters are very likely to be inexperienced and also somewhat panicked. It's far better to try something as an alternative to watching someone die.

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Agreed, but I still feel most people would be far too nervous and might lose valuable seconds

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Hi Cherry, the defib equipment talks to you throughout the process and will NOT administer a shock if it is not needed which is why they are safe for the general public to use.

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Many thanks Mia.

Avatar for - Saola
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I have done my first aid training longer ago. Welcome to get a refresher training.

Avatar for - Amur leopard
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I have never seen a defibrillator in London in good working order. Either they have been vandalised, or parts are missing, usually the instruction manual. 

It seems rather foolish to offer an instruction manual with a defibrillator. Time of...

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I have never seen a defibrillator in London in good working order. Either they have been vandalised, or parts are missing, usually the instruction manual. 

It seems rather foolish to offer an instruction manual with a defibrillator. Time of use is not the time to learn how they work. By the time someone figures it out it is unlikely to be in sufficient time to save a life. 

Perhaps the focus should be on supporting people to live healthy lives. 

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Hi ContactPreen - thanks for your message! It's incredibly disappointing to hear about the vandalism of defibrillators especially when they have such an important role in helping to save lives.  We would encourage you to report any vandalism to the defib owner so they're aware and can take appropriate action.

If you're ever in situation where someone you know is in cardiac arrest and you don't have a defibrillator, remember that chest compressions (CPR) can also help. Remember to dial 999 so they can support you through it.

You make a really important point, the time to learn to use a defib, for example via the video, is not during an emergency.  However, you get instructions directly from the defib on how to use it and if you're on the phone with 999 they can also guide you through it. But if you do watch out video or take further training with the LAS, you'll learn this and hopefully having this knowledge will boost your confidence to use one.

Avatar for - Amur leopard
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Thanks. 

I learnt how to do compressions at school when I was 8 years old. 

It would make sesnse to teach it as an essential life skill for all school kids. And cost effective too. 

The amount of London residents' money mismanaged and wasted...

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Thanks. 

I learnt how to do compressions at school when I was 8 years old. 

It would make sesnse to teach it as an essential life skill for all school kids. And cost effective too. 

The amount of London residents' money mismanaged and wasted on useless kit is beyond conceivable. 

 

Please stop wasting our money. 🙏🏾

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Would be interested in learning this skill

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I think that people are afraid that if they don’t use a defibrillator correctly or don’t do CPR correctly they could get sued. 

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I think that people are afraid that if they don’t use a defibrillator correctly or don’t do CPR correctly they could get sued. 

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Avatar for - Tiger
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You only get sued in America. Over here People would be grateful for anything you do to save their life, doing CPR can lead to broken ribs this doesn't matter if you save their life.Go on a course, it's worth it.😊

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Really? I didn't know you could get sued for that. Also I would be scared to use it without any proper training first or at least a guide. 

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Really? I didn't know you could get sued for that. Also I would be scared to use it without any proper training first or at least a guide. 

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Avatar for - Gorilla
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I did a CPR course and basic 1st aI'd when my children were young. Would lover to do a refresher courselves and learn to use a defibrillator. There is one on the High Street outside Fire Station. WOld love more information

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Some sort of public information tv/poster campaign might be useful to instruct people on CPR/AED use. 
Most MOPs aren’t aware that a majority of the public use AEDs will guide you through their use with voice/text commands. 
Unfortunately a...

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Some sort of public information tv/poster campaign might be useful to instruct people on CPR/AED use. 
Most MOPs aren’t aware that a majority of the public use AEDs will guide you through their use with voice/text commands. 
Unfortunately a majority of people aren’t familiar with first aid, should this be taught in secondary school/college?

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Great idea to have these devices at transport locations. 

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Great idea to have these devices at transport locations. 

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I have done a first aid course and know what a defibrillator looks like. However I would not feel confident about using one because I would worry about using it correctly. 

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I have done a first aid course and know what a defibrillator looks like. However I would not feel confident about using one because I would worry about using it correctly. 

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Avatar for - Sumatran elephant
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Had basic first aid traiing 2 years ago and we learned CPR.  Would be interested in doing further traing and leanring how to use a defibrillator.  Thanks.

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Had basic first aid traiing 2 years ago and we learned CPR.  Would be interested in doing further traing and leanring how to use a defibrillator.  Thanks.

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I think it’s a great idea but although I watch all the medical tv programmes I wouldn’t know how to use a defibrillator- I’m 73 and fit but don’t go on the tube much.  So, much as I’d like to be trained, there are probably limited resources...

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I think it’s a great idea but although I watch all the medical tv programmes I wouldn’t know how to use a defibrillator- I’m 73 and fit but don’t go on the tube much.  So, much as I’d like to be trained, there are probably limited resources and you should pick people who travel regularly! 

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i'd be very interested in doing a course on CPR and how to use a defibrillator. CPR i'm thinking I would find a little more challenging from a confidence point of view but given the right support I would be very happy to learn and be...

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i'd be very interested in doing a course on CPR and how to use a defibrillator. CPR i'm thinking I would find a little more challenging from a confidence point of view but given the right support I would be very happy to learn and be trained in applying both correctly.

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I’d really like to attend a course on the use of a defibrillator and arefresher course on CPR.

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London Citizens, Indeed British Citizens Require The Skill Set & Confidence to Use Defibrillators. ' Skills are not Innate, Skills are Acquired, Commonly, Via Education Courses, with Training '   Also I strongly advice & some if not most...

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London Citizens, Indeed British Citizens Require The Skill Set & Confidence to Use Defibrillators. ' Skills are not Innate, Skills are Acquired, Commonly, Via Education Courses, with Training '   Also I strongly advice & some if not most London / British Residence will agree: Knife Crime & Street First Aid Courses Set Up With Due - Diligences & Mindfully Accounting For Current Incidents On The Streets, Homes & Workplaces of London.      

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I would not feel confident because I’ve never used one nor seen one being used. I would like to be trained in the use of the device and in other life saving strategies. I know there is a defibrillator on my local High Street in Wood Green...

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I would not feel confident because I’ve never used one nor seen one being used. I would like to be trained in the use of the device and in other life saving strategies. I know there is a defibrillator on my local High Street in Wood Green. Since cardiac arrest is an urgent matter, it is clearly important that the deceives are located in as many places as possible. 

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Avatar for - Tiger
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I was in a group of cyclists recently, when, at a rest stop, one of them collapsed and lost consciousness. There was not a defibrillator nearby. Someone went to fetch one, but it was 5 minutes drive away. As it happens it wasn't required as...

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I was in a group of cyclists recently, when, at a rest stop, one of them collapsed and lost consciousness. There was not a defibrillator nearby. Someone went to fetch one, but it was 5 minutes drive away. As it happens it wasn't required as the patient had a strong pulse and was breathing, but if it had been, 5 minutes might have been too long.
I was re-assured by people who are trained that using one is easy. The defibrillator gives precise instructions once disconnected from it's power supply, so I learnt a little, and can see the importance of having quick access when they are required.

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dowdensa's comment is important.  Years ago my brother suffered cardiac arrest when he'd just seen a doctor at his local practice.  He was defibrillated eight times on the way to hospital.  If he'd had the cardiac arrest where no...

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dowdensa's comment is important.  Years ago my brother suffered cardiac arrest when he'd just seen a doctor at his local practice.  He was defibrillated eight times on the way to hospital.  If he'd had the cardiac arrest where no defibrillator was available it's likely that he would have died.  As it was he lived another fourteen years.  So well done Mayor for having defibrillators installed!

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