A pilot scheme offering CPR training to students at Cardiff University has launched, with the aim being to offer the training to all new students from September.
According to the BBC, only one in 20 people in Wales survive cardiac arrest, which is one of the worst rates in Europe. If all universities in the country offered CPR training then that would mean up to 130,000 people would learn the life-saving skill.
The scheme is being piloted at the university’s School of Journalism, Media and Culture. One student, Phoebe Reddin, said: ‘Before today, if someone had collapsed in front of me I wouldn’t have had the confidence to know what I’d be doing wouldn’t make the situation worse.’
‘Our simple and cost-effective scheme could save many lives’
The scheme is being led by fifth-year medical student Elliot Phillips who said: ‘We have a huge population of 33,260 students here at the University, which is an amazing, as yet untapped, resource of intelligent and enthusiastic learners who could save lives if they are equipped with the right skills.’
Phillips described the scheme as “a real opportunity to address the current very poor rate of survival in Wales,” and explained: ‘The more people who know basic CPR across the country the better – our simple and cost-effective scheme could save many lives.’
Meanwhile, the chair of Save a Life Cymru Dr Len Noakes said that 89 percent of cardiac arrests happen at home. This means that ‘these students will be bringing those skills back home with them (and when) they’re out in the community they won’t be stepping back saying, ‘I don’t know what to do’, they’ll be going straight in.’
Attention to the importance of CPR has increased following the collapse of Danish football player Christian Eriksen during the 2020 Euros after he suffered cardiac arrest.
Sharon Owen of Calon Hearts Defibrillators Wales, a charity that advocates for the accessibility of defibrillators, said Eriksen’s collapse was ‘simply awful” and ‘outlines everything we’ve been trying to do as a charity for years.’
Owen also said that the Welsh government deadline of 2022 for CPR training was ‘too late.’
A Welsh government spokeswoman told the BBC: ‘We have provided funding to the Save a Life Cymru campaign, which is working with organisations across Wales to raise awareness of the importance of CPR training and the use of defibrillators through the Touch Someone’s Life campaign.’