NEWS FEED
The Bournemouth Area Defibrillator Group (BAD) has donated a £1,000 Automated External Defibrillator (AED) to the Iford Golf Centre to increase survival rates for people experiencing sudden cardiac arrest (SCA).
No training is required to use the AED because the technologically advanced device is able to guide users through each step of the defibrillation process by providing audio and visual prompts, meaning passers-by can give aid quickly to those in distress instead of waiting for paramedics to arrive.
SCA is the UK’s biggest killer, annually claiming more lives than breast cancer, lung cancer and AIDS combined. Research from the Arrhythmia Alliance demonstrates an average of 100,000 UK residents die of SCA every year. On average, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) saves the lives of nine per cent of people who suffer SCA, but when CPR is used alongside a defibrillator, survival rates increase to 50 per cent.
The BAD group is a local support group for people with Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICDs) and their families. It is supported by the Arrhythmia Specialist Nursing Team at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital and affiliated to the Heart Rhythm Charity, Arrhythmia Alliance, which is currently campaigning to increase the placement of public access defibrillators. The group raised the funds for Iford Golf Centre’s defibrillator through group meetings, social events such as skittle evenings and member donations.
RBH arrhythmia nurse specialist and BAD group committee member, Gaynor Richards, said: “The BAD group feels privileged that we have been able to make this donation. It is hoped that in the future, the BAD group may be able to extend the level of support it offers and continue to make lifesaving investments in our local communities.”
For more information about the BAD group, please visit www.heartrhythmcharity.org.uk. For more information about cardiac treatments at RBH, please visit www.rbch.nhs.uk.
