The British Heart Foundation reports that every minute that someone in cardiac arrest is without CPR or access to a defibrillator, their chances of survival are reduced by up to 10%. Cardiac arrests can occur at any age without warning, and in cases where defibrillators were applied swiftly, survival rates of up to 75% have been reported.
Karen Kitschker, an Occupational Therapist within the Cardiff Community Resource Team (CRT) said “The Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust as part of an initiative, donated two community public access defibrillator machines to the CRT. A recent incident, which took place at our offices highlighted the importance of the potential need for an onsite defibrillator to be accessible and stored safely so that it may be accessed by all in an emergency”.
The Staff Lottery fund provided funds to install two secure external cabinets to prevent damage and inappropriate use of the defibrillators, also enabling access for the wider community to utilise as required. Having access to defibrillators at both the Whitchurch and Llanrumney CRT offices supports the staff, visitors and the wider community in the event of a cardiac arrest occurring on or near the premises, improving patient outcomes and may also potentially help save lives.