Help save a fellow Londoner’s life

Between 2021 and 2022, the London Ambulance Service (LAS) responded to around 12,000 patients experiencing cardiac arrest.  

Cardiac arrest is when a person’s heart stops beating and stops pumping blood and oxygen around the body. Currently, fewer than one in 10 people survive a cardiac arrest.  

To help equip more Londoners with the knowledge and confidence to act in an emergency until medical help arrives, the Mayor of London, LAS and Transport for London (TfL) have teamed up to make more defibrillators publicly accessible. The team are aiming to get more people skilled up in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) – or chest compressions – and using a defibrillator. 

CPR is when we push down hard on the chest continuously to help the heart pump blood around the body. Meanwhile a defibrillator gives a high energy electric shock to the heart of someone in cardiac arrest. Both can greatly increase the chances of a person surviving a cardiac arrest. 

Making defibrillators publicly accessible is just the first step in ensuring more people can get the help they need in an emergency like this.  We also want to make it easier than ever for people to feel confident performing CPR and use a defibrillator – in case they ever need to help a fellow Londoner. 

A cardiac arrest usually happens without warning, which means the chance to help someone in need can come when you least expect it.  

Whether you’re an individual or a business, there are many ways you could help increase the odds of someone surviving a cardiac arrest in London: 

• Sign up to do the LAS London Lifesaver training in person for a deep dive into basic life support skills, such as CPR and using a defib. 
• Watch our demo video featuring Dr Chris Van Tulleken and the LAS for a refresher on performing chest compressions and using a defibrillator – it takes 5 mins! 
• 76 percent of cardiac arrests happen in the home. So, even if you don’t have a defib and just perform chest compressions, you can give someone the best chance of surviving. If you have a phone, cushion and 15 minutes, check out BHF’s RevivR to learn CPR. 
• Find your nearest defib.  
• Does your business, school or community have a public access defibrillator (PAD)? If not, consider installing one. Check out the British Heart Foundation (BHF) and St John Ambulance for info on where to get yours. 
• If your business or community organisation has a PAD, consider registering it on the BHF’s Circuit to help NHS Ambulance services locate and access defibrillators in an emergency. 
• You can also get your defib accredited with LAS. 

In October 2022, the Mayor completed London Ambulance Service’s London Lifesaver training. Since then, he has been encouraging Londoners to take up training opportunities to boost their confidence in basic life support skills, especially CPR and the use of defibrillator.  

He’s working with partners, such as the London Ambulance Service, Transport for London (TfL) and third sector organisations to ensure lifesaving training and technology can be available to all those who want or need it. 

You may have seen that TfL has recently installed or begun installation of defibrillators across the whole of their London Underground network. They’re also being made available at key locations. This means more Londoners have access to this lifesaving technology.  

We’re also working to boost people’s knowledge and confidence in performing chest compressions and using a defibrillator. That’s why next to the defibs you will also see a poster with a QR code that will take you to a short video, showing you how to perform these vital skills.   

The Mayor plays an important leadership role by working with partners across London to support and promote good health. 

City Hall’s Health and Wellbeing team are looking forward to finding out about your views.  

Astrid, Anmol and Kay from the team will be reading your contributions and signposting training and resources.