Who’s CardiacSmart?

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North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) has launched its CardiacSmart initiative.

The CardiacSmart initiative works to extend the network coverage of public access Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) within local communities across the North West; as well as training more individuals in basic life support skills.

The CardiacSmart initiative promotes awareness of heart health, and awards community groups, organisations and individuals for their commitments to increasing this awareness within their local community or workplace.

The criteria for achieving each standard increases across the three levels of Bronze, Silver and Gold; and involves, for example, groups being able to demonstrate how they have trained, and been trained in, life-saving skills, including the four stages of the Chain of Survival, promote heart health messages and installation of public access AEDs. 

Bob Williams, NWAS Acting Chief Executive, said “The CardiacSmart award is a great way to engage with local community groups and business organisations in raising awareness of heart health. The award criteria provides very structured and all-encompassing guidance to achieving a good level of heart safety; making it easier for groups to be able to think about all aspects of promoting the message and making their communities safer, from education to their own engagement with their community.

“We hope that all those who have received their awards, will vouch for the initiative, and prompt more people, community groups and organisations to begin to think more about how CardiacSmart they could become.”

Gail Sargerson, Area Development Manager at the British Heart Foundation said: “The CardiacSmart award is a fantastic initiative and the British Heart Foundation is delighted to be playing a vital role in helping ensure people across the local area are trained in life-saving skills. It’s a sad fact that around 30,000 people suffer a cardiac arrest outside of hospital each year. The more we can do to raise awareness of the importance of heart health and how to save a life in an emergency situation the many more lives we can save in the future.”

Around 30,000 people suffer a cardiac arrest outside of hospital each year, and with every minute a person does not receive treatment their chance of survival decreases by 10%. Cardiac arrest is the most extreme case of an emergency, as the patient loses consciousness at once and there are no signs of life. Defibrillators give an electric shock through the chest wall and help to restore a normal heartbeat.

If you would be interested in finding out more about the CardiacSmart initiative, or in submitting an application, please visit www.cardiacsmart.nwas.nhs.uk . We’ll be advertising when the Service will be looking for the next round of CardiacSmart applicants.