Hampshire Air Ambulance calls on businesses to boost CPR skills for better survival rates

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance (HIOWAA) is urging businesses, schools, and community groups to sign up for its free CPR Skills for Life programme.

The initiative is designed to give participants the skills and confidence to perform effective CPR and use an automated external defibrillator (AED) – both critical in emergency situations.

Cardiac-related incidents make up 1 in 5 of HIOWAA’s missions. With around 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in the UK annually and less than 1 in 10 people surviving, the charity hopes to make a difference by equipping more people with life-saving skills.

Delivered by the charity’s Critical Care Team, along with staff and volunteers trained in Basic Life Support, the sessions include hands-on training in how to assess a patient, call for help, perform chest compressions, and use an AED.

Dr Simon Hughes, Clinical Director at HIOWAA, highlighted the importance of swift action in emergencies: “Every minute that goes by without a patient receiving CPR or defibrillation, their chance of survival decreases by 10 per cent.

“Much of the work we do is only possible because bystanders have acted quickly and known what to do in an emergency.”

Recently, HIOWAA provided training to luxury cruise companies Regent Seven Seas, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Oceania Cruises, who share offices in Grosvenor Square, London. Their support followed a medical emergency involving one of their colleagues in September 2023.

Lynn Goodsell, Senior Director at Norwegian Cruise Line, was one of 45 team members to take part in the training.

She said: “Having to do CPR is the worst thing that could happen, but if you’re equipped with the knowledge and skills, more people will have a better chance of survival and recovery. I’m definitely more confident now if I had to do CPR or use an AED.”

By the end of 2025, HIOWAA aims to have trained all 150 of its volunteers, ensuring that anyone in the charity – from the finance assistant to the CEO – is a potential lifesaver.

To sign up for CPR Skills for Life, businesses and community groups can visit: hiowaa.org/cpr.