No, you don't have to be a professional or even trained to do CPR and use a defibrillator.

When a person suffers a sudden cardiac arrest their heart stops pumping blood around the body to the vital organs.  It is an electrical problem with the heart so immediate intervention is required to keep the blood flowing around the body with CPR, and shock the heart back into a normal rhythm with a defibrillator. Ideally this should happen within 3-5 minutes of collapse.  For every minute that passes without intervention, the survival chances of the casualty decrease by 10%.

If you witness an individual collapse and they are not conscious or breathing you should call 999 immediately.  They will talk you through how to do CPR and advise where the nearest defibrillator is.  Send someone to retrieve the defibrillator.  Continue doing CPR until the defibrillator arrives, then open/turn on the unit and follow the clear audible instructions it gives.  You can not do harm to a person by applying the pads.  The unit will only shock once it has analysed the heart  for the correct rhythm and will not shock the casualty if not required.  All you need to do is follow the instructions the defibrillator gives you.

Less than 1 in 10 people survive an out-of-hospital (OHCA) cardiac arrest due to low bystander CPR rates. Bystander CPR plays a crucial part in the victim.

Not enough people know how to perform CPR. People worry that by stepping in to provide treatment in an emergency, they could be liable if something were to go wrong.

The BHF have found that approximately 30% of adults in the UK are unlikely to perform CPR to a victim in cardiac arrest. A survey from St. John’s Ambulance also found that 34 per cent of people were ‘deterred’ from intervening in a situation that requires first aid due to legal repercussion concerns.

96% would call 999 for assistance, but do nothing else to help the victim during the time it takes the paramedics to arrive.

What the Law Says

No one in the UK has ever been successfully sued for carrying out CPR. By stepping in, you could save a life.

The SARAH Act (2015) applies here in the UK to ensure that in a case made against someone who was trying to help an individual, the judge would be obliged to consider the following:

• Social Action- Was the person acting in the best interest of the casualty?
• Responsibility- Was the person demonstrating a predominantly responsible approach towards protecting the safety of others?
• Heroism- Was the person acting heroically by intervening in an emergency to assist an individual in danger?

The purpose of the SARAH Act is to provide a greater degree of reassurance and protection to Good Samaritans, volunteers and those who may be hesitate to respond to an emergency situation due to a fear of being sued. With hesitancy reduced, more people are likely to step in an emergency, reducing the number of deaths that occur as a result of sudden cardiac arrest.

According to new research published in the European Heart Journal, it suggests that women are less likely receive bystander CPR or survive a cardiac arrest than men.

The statistics reveal that 68% of women are likely to receive bystander CPR compared to 73% of men.

Studies show the biggest reason male rescuers would refrain from giving CPR to a woman is fear of being accused of sexual assault or inappropriate touching. The biggest reason a female rescuer might not provide assistance was fear of harming the victim. Less often, responders may have the misconception that women don't have cardiac arrests or think a woman was being overdramatic.

In the event of a sudden cardiac arrest it is always better to do something, as your actions could save a life.  Learn more about defibrillators in our Resource Centre and more about CPR training with our training courses run through our training partner Imperative Training. 

defibshop are committed to equipping everyone with the skills and knowledge to save a life. Speak to one of our Product Specialists on 0161 776 7422 or fill out our Contact Form.