Lancaster medical students have trained over 160 people on campus on how to ‘restart a heart’ through both cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs).

Restart a Heart (RSAH) is an annual initiative led by Resuscitation Council UK which aims to increase the number of people surviving out-of-hospital cardiac arrests by helping more people learn CPR and become ResusReady.

The campus event was organised by the student-run Lancaster University Wilderness and Emergency Medicine Society (LUWEMS) and involved a group of 15 medical students teaching resuscitation techniques to passersby assisted by Chis Veevers, paramedic and clinical skills educator at Lancaster Medical School.

Alex Liloglou, who is a final year medical student, said: “Fewer than one in ten people survive a cardiac arrest outside of hospital. It’s vital that we try to improve the survival rate by educating as many people as possible in this life-saving skill. We know that fear is one of the biggest obstacles that stops people from helping in an emergency, so de-mystifying the process is the key concept we teach.

“This has not just helped the public but also is excellent practice for other medical students wanting to get into education, public health, or practising their communication skills."

Cliff Shelton, consultant anaesthetist and director of simulation and clinical skills at Lancaster Medical School, said: "If someone has a cardiac arrest in a public place there are three really important things that people can do to help them – call 999, start chest compressions, and use an AED. Lancaster’s medical students have helped empower members of the public to do these simple but life-saving actions. It’s great to see them getting involved in the Restart a Heart initiative.”

The students are planning several smaller events in the next few months. Any community groups interested in hosting a free RSAH event should contact a.liloglou@lancaster.ac.uk.