We’ve been approached by NHS England in collaboration with GoodSAM to find some survivors for a promotional video they will be making.
Read on if you’re interested in helping out…
Background
We know that our survival rate for out of hospital cardiac arrest is at around 8.6% which is significantly lower than for populations in other developed countries.
Fast and effective action will help save lives of people suffering a cardiac arrest. The chance of survival from a cardiac arrest that occurs out of hospital doubles if someone receives immediate resuscitation (CPR) or a high energy electric shock to the heart (defibrillation).
Our target is to increase the survival rate towards 20%
To support this ambition, the Plan outlines specific actions to improve OHCA through:
- A national network of community first responders and defibrillators will help save up to 4,000 lives each year by 2028
- Educating the general public, including young people of school age, about how to recognise and respond to out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
- Working with partners such as the British Heart Foundation to harness new technology and ensure the public and emergency services are able to rapidly locate this life-saving equipment in an emergency.
GoodSAM
GoodSAM incorporates an alerting, dispatching and tasking platform with a community of responders. The GoodSAM Cardiac system integrates with ambulance service CAD (computer-aided dispatch) systems to trigger bystander response while the ambulance service is en route.
Objective
To produce a high quality, short 60-120 second promotional video highlighting the real-life benefits of the GoodDSAM app. The aim is to encourage trained CPR people, or first aiders to understand the benefits, and register with the app.
We aim for the video be representative of England’s population so will look to include people from different ethnic backgrounds, sex, age and regionality.
Key messages
- The chance of survival from a cardiac arrest that occurs out of hospital doubles if someone receives immediate resuscitation (CPR) or a high energy electric shock to the heart (defibrillation).
- cardiac arrest signs and symptoms
- bystander response
- how the app works
- NHSEI and GoodSAM are working together to increase the number of CPR trained responders registered to the GoodSAM app.
Target Groups
- Anecdotally we know that awareness of GoodSAM amongst NHS staff and the wider health care professional cohort is low.
- There is an opportunity to harness the energy and goodwill from the pandemic that resulted in circa 800,000 NHS volunteers by encouraging them to train in CPR and register as first responders. The volunteers are familiar with GoodSAM through the NHS Responders pandemic campaign.
- And it’s critical to engage the general public to promote their registration, particularly where health inequalities can be reduced.
The Video
We are aiming to reproduce the tone, feel and simplicity of the video GoodSAM produced in Victoria, Australia…
Production
Survivors will be supported to tell their story and how bystander response saved their life including through GoodSAM’s app.
Healthcare professional (registered on app) to explain why someone trained in CPR should register and how.
Each case study should take around 2 hours to film, conducting a short interview.
We will aim to reduce travel for those appearing in the video by filming near to where they live.
*It is important volunteers who appear in the video are as representative of England’s population as possible to create an inclusive tone to help engage as many different communities as possible.
As a result, not everyone who expresses an interest will automatically be included in the final finished video(s)
Next steps
*** UPDATE ***
We’ve had such a great response that we’ve been asked to stop accepting applications for now, whilst they process the ones they have. If any more are required we’ll re-publish the contact details.
If you would like to appear in the video please email using the link below with your contact details and a brief description of your experience:
We aim to complete filming and editing of the video in the next couple of months and it will be released via social media and can be used locally to engage at specific events as well as nationally e.g. Restart a Heart Day on 16th October.
After our first meet-up in February 2015, I realised I was not alone. It was the first time since my cardiac arrest the previous year that I had spoken face-to-face with someone who had experienced what I had. This was also true for my wife, who also happened to be my lifesaver. From that meet-up, the idea of SCA UK was born. Since then, we have achieved a considerable amount, primarily providing information, resources and support to others in a similar situation but also raising the profile of survivorship and the need for better post-discharge care. We are starting to get traction in this, and with the formation of the charity, I genuinely believe we have a bright future ahead and will make a significant difference in the lives of many who join our ranks.