Defibrillators now at the door of Cornwall’s community hospitals

Someone collapses in a car park. Their heart has stopped. What happens in the next few minutes, and how close the nearest defibrillator is, can decide whether they survive.

From today, if that happens outside one of Cornwall’s community hospitals, the answer to the second question is the front door.

To mark International Restart a Heart Day on Friday 16 October, Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust has revealed that it has installed public access defibrillators (PADs) at the entrances of its NHS community hospitals.

Who has paid for them

The defibrillators have been donated and installed by the Front Line Emergency Equipment Trust (FLEET) and Duchy Defib. Their support means members of the public can get hold of a defibrillator quickly if someone goes into cardiac arrest.

The Trust says the move improves access to lifesaving equipment across Cornwall, and describes it as a crucial step in strengthening the chain of survival in the county’s communities.

How the cabinets work

The defibrillators sit in locked cabinets on the outside of the buildings. The signage at Liskeard Community Hospital explains the process. Call 999 to report a cardiac arrest, and ambulance control will give you the code to open the cabinet. Then carry on with CPR, following the defibrillator’s own instructions, until help arrives.

Why the first few minutes matter

Every year, thousands of people in the UK have a cardiac arrest outside hospital. Spotting it early, starting cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) promptly and getting a defibrillator on the person quickly can significantly improve their chances of survival.

Restart a Heart is an annual initiative led by Resuscitation Council UK each October. It aims to raise survival rates from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest through greater public awareness, CPR education and access to lifesaving interventions.

The Trust is using the day to encourage everyone to learn CPR and to find out where their nearest defibrillator is.

What the Trust says

Kate Hawkins, the Trust’s resuscitation lead, said: “We are pleased to celebrate International Restart a Heart Day by making defibrillators more readily available to the communities we serve. We are grateful to FLEET and Duchy Defib for their generosity and commitment to improving public access to lifesaving equipment.

“Together, we can help more people recognise cardiac arrest, start CPR quickly and potentially save lives. The Trust would also like to thank both charities for their continued support in helping make Cornwall a safer place for residents and visitors alike.”

📷The new public access defibrillator at Liskeard Community Hospital